10.2 Respiratory Acid-Base Balance

Question 1

What is the first line of defence against changes in pH?

Answer 1

Chemical buffers

Question 2

What happens to Hb when you increase pH

Answer 2

you need less oxygen to fully saturate the Hb and the dissociation curve moves to the left (increased affinity)

Question 3

What happens to Hb when you decrease pH

Answer 3

need higher oxygen concentration to fully saturate Hb and the dissociation curve moves to the right (decreased affinity)

Question 4

Why is bicarbonate an important buffer?

Answer 4

components are abundant
System is open
controlled by both the lungs and kidneys

Question 5

what are the 6 ways for CO2 to travel

Answer 5

Dissolved in RBC
Dissolved in plasma
Carried bound to Hb
In form of HCO3-
Small amount transported as HCO3- in plasma
Very small amount bound to plasma proteins

Question 6

What happens to pH in hypo- and hyperventilation?

Answer 6

In hyperventilation you will blow off more CO2 and acid so the pH will go up
In hypoventilation you breathe off less CO2 and you retain acid so the pH will go down

Question 7

What happens when pH decreases?

Answer 7

you will have a compensatory increase in ventilation

Question 8

What do you have when there is low CO2 and HCO3-

Answer 8

metabolic acidosis

Question 9

What do you have when there is high pCO2

Answer 9

Respiratory acidosis

Question 10

What do you have when there is high pCO2 and low HCO3-

Answer 10

Mixed acidosis

Question 11

What does it mean when the bicarbonate system is open?

Answer 11

the components of the system can be added or removed from the body at controlled rates