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Analyzing the arterial blood gas (ABG) sample immediately after collection is crucial for minimizing errors related to blood metabolism. Blood samples can undergo metabolic changes over time, including alterations in pH, carbon dioxide levels, and oxygen levels, due to cellular respiration and the processing of the sample by cellular metabolism. Delays in analysis can lead to inaccurate results, which can negatively impact patient management and treatment decisions.

Immediate analysis helps ensure that the values obtained reflect the patient's actual blood gases at the time of collection, thus providing more reliable and clinically relevant information for the healthcare provider. While other practices such as using heparin and transporting samples with ice packs can help preserve sample integrity, they do not entirely address the critical issue of time, which is the most significant factor in preventing metabolic alterations in the sample.