Respiratory alkalosis occurs when
you breathe too fast or too deep and carbon dioxide levels drop too low
. This causes the pH of the blood to rise and become too alkaline. When the blood becomes too acidic, respiratory acidosis occurs.
What are the causes of respiratory acidosis?
Respiratory acidosis involves a decrease in respiratory rate and/or volume (hypoventilation). Common causes include
impaired respiratory drive
(eg, due to toxins, CNS disease), and airflow obstruction (eg, due to asthma, COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], sleep apnea, airway edema).
What are two causes of respiratory acidosis?
Respiratory acidosis involves a decrease in respiratory rate and/or volume (hypoventilation). Common causes include
impaired respiratory drive
(eg, due to toxins, CNS disease), and airflow obstruction (eg, due to asthma, COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], sleep apnea, airway edema).
What is the primary disturbance causing respiratory acidosis?
Respiratory acidosis typically occurs due to failure of ventilation and accumulation of carbon dioxide. The primary disturbance is
an elevated arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) and a decreased ratio of arterial bicarbonate to arterial pCO2
, which results in a decrease in the pH of the blood.
What are the causes of alkalosis?
Alkalosis occurs when your body has too many bases. It can occur due to
decreased blood levels of carbon dioxide
, which is an acid. It can also occur due to increased blood levels of bicarbonate, which is a base. This condition may also be related to other underlying health issues such as low potassium, or hypokalemia.
How do you fix respiratory acidosis?
- Bronchodilator medicines and corticosteroids to reverse some types of airway obstruction.
- Noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (sometimes called CPAP or BiPAP) or a breathing machine, if needed.
- Oxygen if the blood oxygen level is low.
Which condition is most likely to cause acidosis?
- kidney conditions.
- liver disease.
- diabetes mellitus.
- HIV treatments.
- extreme physical exercise.
- alcoholism.
What are the signs and symptoms of respiratory acidosis?
- fatigue or drowsiness.
- becoming tired easily.
- confusion.
- shortness of breath.
- sleepiness.
- headache.
How do you know if the body is compensating for respiratory acidosis?
With 7.40 as the midpoint of the normal pH range, determine if the pH level is closer to the alkalotic or acidotic end of the range. If pH is normal but closer to the acidotic end, and
both PaCO
2
and HCO
3
are elevated
, the kidneys have compensated for a respiratory problem.
What are the signs and symptoms of respiratory alkalosis?
- dizziness.
- bloating.
- feeling lightheaded.
- numbness or muscle spasms in the hands and feet.
- discomfort in the chest area.
- confusion.
- dry mouth.
- tingling in the arms.
What is the compensation for respiratory acidosis?
| Disorder Expected compensation Correction factor | Acute respiratory acidosis Increase in [HCO 3 -]= ∆ PaCO 2 /10 ± 3 | Chronic respiratory acidosis (3-5 days) Increase in [HCO 3 -]= 3.5(∆ PaCO 2 /10) | Metabolic alkalosis Increase in PaCO 2 = 40 + 0.6(∆HCO 3 -) | Acute respiratory alkalosis Decrease in [HCO 3 -]= 2(∆ PaCO 2 /10) |
|---|
What happens when you have respiratory acidosis?
Respiratory acidosis is a serious medical condition that occurs when
the lungs can’t remove all of the carbon dioxide produced by the body through normal metabolism
. The blood becomes acidified, leading to increasingly serious symptoms, from sleepiness to coma.
How do you know if respiratory acidosis is acute or chronic?
- Acute: Expected decrease in pH = 0.08 x (measured PaCO
2
– 40) - Chronic: Expected drop in pH = 0.03 x (measured PaCO
2
– 40)
What is the treatment for alkalosis and acidosis?
Almost always, treatment of alkalosis is directed at reversing the cause. Doctors rarely simply give acid, such as hydrochloric acid, to reverse the alkalosis. Metabolic alkalosis is usually treated by
replacing water and electrolytes
(sodium and potassium) while treating the cause.
What are signs of acidosis?
- rapid and shallow breathing.
- confusion.
- fatigue.
- headache.
- sleepiness.
- lack of appetite.
- jaundice.
- increased heart rate.
What is the treatment for respiratory alkalosis?
Treatment is aimed at the condition that causes respiratory alkalosis.
Breathing into a paper bag —
or using a mask that causes you to re-breathe carbon dioxide — sometimes helps reduce symptoms when anxiety is the main cause of the condition.
