Bicarbonate (HCO3). Bicarbonate, a form of carbon dioxide, is a byproduct of metabolism (chemical reactions in your body to make energy). Bicarbonate blood level is calculated using pH and PaCO2 ...

The pH of the human body lies in a tight range between 7. ... (which increases the CO2 in the blood ... while if the carbonate ion levels are high it retains H+ ions and secretes HCO3 ions.

How High and Low Carbon Dioxide Levels Are Measured. advertisement. ... primarily in a bicarbonate (HCO3) form, and then exhaled out ... (pH) levels. A CO2 blood test evaluates whether your body ...

Blood gases are taken using point-of-care devices when a result is needed quickly (namely, from sampling to analysis in minutes). Small changes in a patient’s CO2 or HCO3 levels can alter their pH; ...