Definition of "Respiratory acidosis"
Last modified: 3 days
Respiratory means that the problem is caused by breathing. Acidosis means that blood is acidic, so it's got a low pH.
Respiratory acidosis is where hypoventilation (decreased ventilation) increases the concentration of CO2 in the blood, and causes acidosis (pH<7.35).
Patient information
What is respiratory acidosis?Respiratory means that the problem is caused by breathing. Acidosis means that blood is acidic, so it's got a low pH.
How does the breathing affect blood acidity? Is it breathing too much or too little?
As Shakespeare once said, "that is the question 
". So when we breathe more often, we breathe out more carbon dioxide than we breathe in oxygen, so we get rid of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide in water, makes it acidic. So when we breathe more often, we make blood LESS acidic, thus MORE basic. Therefore, to make blood MORE acidic, we breathe in LESS.
Pathophysiology
- CO2 is produced continuously as the body's cells respire, and this CO2 will accumulate rapidly if the lungs do not adequately expel it through alveolar ventilation
- Hypoventilation of the alveoli, thus causes an increased PaCO2, called hypercapnia
Prognosis
- It is a medical emergency
Synonyms:
Resp acidosis
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