Use of venous-to-arterial carbon dioxide tension difference to guide resuscitation therapy in septic shock

Figure 1 CO₂ dissociation curve. CO₂ content (mL/100 mL) vs CO₂ partial tension (PCO₂). Differences between the curves result in higher CO₂ content in the blood, and smaller PCO₂ differences between arterial and venous blood. Hemoglobin-O₂ saturation affects the position of the CO₂ dissociation curve (Haldane effect).