Causes of respiratory acidosis

Answer 1

-respiratory acidosis is when the pH of your arterial blood becomes acidic. Since C02 is acidic, when you don't ventilate properly, this builds up in your system and makes your blood acidic. Bicarbonate is a base. In most cases, bicarb will begin to store up in the body to reverse/compensate for the acidosis.

Answer 2

Respiratory acidosis is a condition whereby the pH (acidity) of the blood decreases, making it more acidic. The enzymes throughout our body (which we rely on for all metabolism and energy production) only operate at very specific pH levels.

When we breathe, we take in oxygen and breath out carbon dioxide. If, for whatever reason, we are unable to breath off enough carbon dioxide (CO2), it will build up in the blood. As CO2 is acidic, it will make the blood more acidic. This is respiratory acidosis - acidosis with a respiratory cause.

It can happen acutely (in a short space of time) or chronically (over days or weeks). Acute RA will occur if the patient suddenly is unable to ventilate themselves - commonly in acute head injury or with drugs such as morphine. Airways obstruction or diseases affecting the muscles (like myasthenia gravis) can also cause this.

Chronically, CO2 can build up in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), often secondary to smoking.

The body responds to this insult in two ways. In the first minutes to hours of acidosis, levels of bicarbonate with rise slightly in the blood. This is an alkaline substance and 'buffers' the decreasing pH. Secondly, the kidneys can begin excreting higher levels of acid into the urine, and increasing the amount of bicarbonate it takes up. This, however, can take several days.

The patient will be ill, and may lapse in and out of consciousness as they increasingly find it impossible to make the energy required for metabolism to function. The brain is extremely sensitive to pH levels, and the patient will become comatose if the acidosis and its underlying cause are not corrected immediately.

Answer 3

Respiratory acidosis, also called respiratory failure or ventilatory failure, causes the pH of blood and other bodily fluids to decrease, making them too acidic.

Respiratory acidosis occurs when the lungs can't remove enough carbon dioxide (CO2). Excess CO2 makes the blood more acidic. This is because the body must balance the ions that control pH.

Normally, the lungs take in oxygen and exhale CO2. Oxygen passes from the lungs into the blood. CO2 passes from the blood into the lungs. However, sometimes the lungs cannot remove enough CO2. This may cause respiratory acidosis.

Answer 4

The primary symptom would be increased respirations as the body attempts to clear the acidosis, to increase base pH. Respiratory acidosis can become so severe the person is short of breath (SOB). But typically the patient needs fluid replacement to restore homeostasis--the lungs cannot clear acidosis by themselves-- and possibly external O2 administration. With fluid replacement, by IV opened wide (and potentially several IV bags of 1,000 ccs each administered over a few hours), the kidneys will be supported to clear the acidosis. Fluid replacement corrects any abnormal shifts in electrolytes which almost immediately reduces stress on striated muscles and smooth muscles, especially the heart and stomach. Kidney and respiratory function improves. Nausea, headache, CNS changes almost immediately begin to improve. However, it's imperative to identify the cause of acidosis and correct, then prevent it from occurring again, or the patient could return to acidosis within hours to a few days.

Answer 5

The main symptom of respiratory failure is you stop breathing. That's kind of a big one. Followed closely by death.

Answer 6

dizziness, light headedness, agitation, and tingling or numbing around the mouth and in the fingers and hands.