Respiratory Recidosis Essay

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Respiratory acidosis is also referred to as respiratory failure and it occurs when the lungs are unable to remove enough carbon dioxide produced by the body. Too much carbon dioxide can cause the pH of the blood to decline. When the pH level decreases the blood and other body fluids become too acidic. Respiratory acidosis occurs when the pH of the blood is below 7.35. The lungs and the kidneys are the two organs that help regulate your body’s pH. The lungs remove acid by exhaling carbon dioxide. The kidneys remove acids through the urine. The kidneys also regulate your blood’s concentration of bicarbonate, during respiratory acidosis the kidney’s hold on to the bicarbonate. Respiratory acidosis is also when PCO2 is abnormally high, above 45 mmHg, due to inadequate exhalation of CO2 this causes blood pH to drop. Respiratory acidosis is usually caused by a lung condition that would affect one’s breathing and ability to remove carbon dioxide from the blood such …show more content…

Your body either is making too much acid, isn’t getting rid of enough acid or your body does not have enough base to offset a normal amount of acid. When any of these occur the chemical reactions in your body cannot work properly. HCO3 levels drop below 22mEq/liter, which will lead to decrease in blood pH (under 7.35). Uncontrolled diabetes, obesity, overuse of alcohol, asthma and airway obstruction are some the things that can cause one of the three types of metabolic acidosis. Symptoms of metabolic acidosis may include any of the following: fatigue, drowsiness, confusion, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, headache, jaundice and rapid breathing. Treatments include treating the underlying cause and administering intravenous solutions of sodium bicarbonate. Compensation for a metabolic acidosis is hyperventilation, which would mean lungs assist in order to decrease the arterial pCO2. (Angus,

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