Week 11 - Respiratory and Metabolic Acidosis

Question 1

What is respiratory acidosis?

Answer 1

• retaining CO2, decreasing pH (increased carbonic acid production)

Question 2

What is the cause of respiratory acidosis?

Answer 2

• patient is hypoventilating or is a CO2 retainer (COPD)

therefore more carbonic acid

Question 3

What is the treatment for respiratory acidosis?

Answer 3

• fix what is causing hypoventilation
  (antidotes, drugs, airway)
  ie. Muscle weakness conditions that cause hypoventilation

We need lungs to hyperventilate

Question 4

What occurs in compensation for respiratory acidosis?

Answer 4

• kidneys reabsorb bicarbonate into blood stream and will increase excretion of H+ (into urine) and produce more ammonia

it will basically reabsorb HCO3- so it can bond w/ H+ and get pH to safer range

Question 5

What is metabolic acidosis?

Answer 5

• too much acid or too little bicarbonate

Question 6

What is the cause of metabolic acidosis?

Answer 6

• acid excess (fever or exercise where we hypermetabolize)
• Bicarbonate deficit (kidney failure)
  – ie. freq. diarrhea

Question 7

What is metabolic acidosis corrected?

Answer 7

• reabsorbed bicarbonate into blood and increased excretion of H+ (into urine)

Question 8

What is the compensation for metabolic acidosis? (2)

Answer 8

Respiratory compensation results in deep and rapid breaths
- to get rid of carbonic acid through CO2 lowering pH

Question 9

What are the CVS signs and symptoms of acidosis? (4)

Answer 9

• ranges from bradycardia to heart block
• ECG changes
• Hypotension (therefore hyperkalemia)
• Thready peripheral pulses

Question 10

What are the CNS signs and symptoms of acidosis? (4)

Answer 10

• depressed activity
• lethargy, confusion, stupor, coma

Question 11

What are the neuromuscular signs and symptoms of acidosis? (3)

Answer 11

• Hyporeflexia
• Skeletal muscle weakness
• Flaccid paralysis

Question 12

What are the respiratory signs and symptoms of acidosis? (2, 5)

Answer 12

1. Kussmaul respirations
   - respiratory compensation in METABOLIC acidosis
2. Variable respirations
   - causes respiratory acidosis
   - hyperventilation but shallow in COPD, otherwise generally hypoventilation

Question 13

What are the integumentary signs and symptoms of acidosis? (2)

Answer 13

• warm, flushed, dry skin in metabolic acidosis
• Pale-to-cyanotic and dry skin in respiratory acidosis