Q. A 63-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with a temperature of 102-degrees F, heart rate 116/min, respiratory rate of 23b/min and BP 132/87. She has an altered mental status and is mostly incoherent. Arterial blood gas shows a pH of 7.28, partial pressure of CO2: 15 mm Hg, and a bicarbonate level of 7 mEq/L. Which of the following is the most accurate description of the patient’s acid-base status?