Respiratory acidosis and alkalosis

Question 1

What are the normal partial pressures of arterial blood gas

Answer 1

HCO3-= 34
PaCO2= 40
pa02= 95

Question 2

What are the normal partial pressures of alveolar gas

Answer 2

PACO2= 36
PA02= 105

Question 3

What are the normal partial pressures of venous blood gas

Answer 3

PVCO2= 50
PVO2= 30-40

Question 4

5 main causes of respiratory acidosis

Answer 4

Hypoventilation
Airway diseases
Chest diseases
Nerve/ muscle diseases
Severe obesity

Question 5

Briefly describe what happens in resp acidosis

Answer 5

Build up of CO2–> more acidic

CO2 produced by bodys metabolism and accumulate rapidly if lungs dont dispel

Question 6

PH=

Answer 6

6.1+log([HC03-]/0.03pCO2)

Question 7

9 symptoms of respiratory acidosis

Answer 7

• Lethargy
• Headache
• Drowsiness
• Restlessness
• Memory loss
• Muscle weakness
• Fatigue
• Sleeplessness
• Anxiety

Question 8

10 signs of respiratory acidosis

Answer 8

• Gait disturbances
• Papilledema
• Blunted tendon reflexes
• Slow breathing
• Tachycardia
• Disorientation
• Tremor
• Myoclonic jerks
• Drop in bp
• Swollen eye vessels

Question 9

What are the parameters for acute resp acidosis

Answer 9

PaC02 above 6.3kPa

Ph< 7.35

Question 10

4 causes of acute resp acidosis?

Answer 10

Abrupt failure of ventilation
Depression of resp centre
Guilan Barre syndrome
Airway obstruction

Question 11

What are the parameters for chronic respiratory acidosis

Answer 11

PaCo2 more than 6.3pka

But ph nearly normal

Question 12

Why is ph nearly normal in chronic respiratory acidosis

Answer 12

Because of renal compensation- elevated HCO3-

Question 13

What is the maximum level of HC03- in the body

Answer 13

45mmol/L

Question 14

Syptoms of respiratory alkalosis

Answer 14

Dizziness, light-headidness, agitation, confusion, cramps

Question 15

Signs of respiratory alkalosis

Answer 15

Muscle twitching, hypernoea, chest pain, blurred visions, spasms

Question 16

6 main causes of respiratry alkalosis

Answer 16

• Intracerebral haemorrhage
• Anxiety
• Sepsis
• Liver ciarrhosis
• Elevated body temp
• Hypoxia

Question 17

Define acute respiratory alkalsosis

Answer 17

Respiratory alkalosis that develops rapily

May result in loss of conciousness

Question 18

What is the minimum concentration of HCO3- achievable

Answer 18

12mmol/L

Question 19

How long does it take for metabolic compensation to work with resp alkalosis

Answer 19

7 days

Question 20

How does respiratory alkalosis lead to impaired oxygen delivery to tissues

Answer 20

Decrease in C02 leads to cerebral vessel constriction

Alkaemia shifts 02 dissocociation curve left

Question 21

How does chronic resp acidosis change potassium levels

Answer 21

Increased H+ excretion in kidney
K+ retained
Hyperkalaemia

Question 22

How does chronic resp alkalosis change potassium levels

Answer 22

H+ retained in kidney
K+ excreted
Hypokalaemia

Question 23

What are oxygen adn CO2 levels like in type 1 respiratory failure

Answer 23

Low O2 with normal or low CO2

Question 24

How can CO2 be low in type 1 resp failure

Answer 24

Co2 diffuses outs of the lung faster than O2

Question 25

Equation for anion gap

Answer 25

Na+-(Cl-+HC03-)

Question 26

What is indicated by a high anion gap

Answer 26

Loss of plasma bicarbondate

Metabolic acidosis

Question 27

What is the anion gap if HC03- is normal and Cl- is high

Answer 27

Normal (patient still unwell)