VBG

Medical abbreviation · Laboratory Test

VBG
Stands forVenous blood gas
CategoriesMedical

VBG stands for Venous blood gas, a laboratory test abbreviation.

Blood gas analysis on venous rather than arterial blood, avoiding a painful arterial puncture. Venous pH runs only about 0.03 to 0.05 lower and PCO2 about 4 to 6 mmHg higher than arterial values, so a VBG is adequate for assessing acid-base status in conditions such as diabetic ketoacidosis, but not for oxygenation.

Example: VBG pH 7.12, bicarbonate 6, glucose 540: DKA protocol started.

Usage notes

A normal venous PCO2 makes significant arterial hypercapnia unlikely, a useful screening shortcut in emergency departments. Venous oxygen values reflect tissue extraction, not lung function; central venous saturation (ScvO2) from a central line is used separately in shock. Most blood gas analyzers also report lactate, electrolytes and hemoglobin from the same sample.

More laboratory test abbreviations

  • 25(OH)D – 25-hydroxyvitamin D
  • A1C – A1C test (hemoglobin A1c)
  • ABG – Arterial blood gas
  • ABO – ABO blood group system
  • ACT – Activated clotting time
  • AFB – Acid-fast bacilli
  • AG – Anion gap
  • Alb – Albumin
  • ALC – Absolute lymphocyte count
  • ALP – Alkaline phosphatase
  • ALT – Alanine aminotransferase
  • ANA – Antinuclear antibody

See all 135 laboratory test abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.