Respiratory acidosis: an acid – base disturbance
characterized by reduced alveolar ventilation and manifested by hypercapnia
(an excess of carbon dioxide in the blood), respiratory acidosis can be
acute ( from a sudden failure in ventilation ) or chronic ( as in long
term pulmonary disease ).
Respiratory acidosis can result from: * Central nervous system
(CNS) trauma,
* Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD),
* Drugs such as narcotics, anesthetics, hypnotics, and sedatives
* Chronic metabolic alkalosis with respiratory compensatory mechanisms
* Neuromuscular disease, such as myasthenia gravis, Guillain
– Barre` syndrome, and poliomyelitis
* Airway obstruction
* Severe Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
* Extensive pneumonia
* Large pneumothorax
* Pulmonary edema
Prognosis depends on the severity of the underlying disturbance as
well as on the patient’s general clinical condition.
Symptoms:
CNS effects include:
Restlessness
Confusion
Apprehension
Unnatural drowsiness (somnolence)
Motor disturbance (asterixis)
Cardiovascular effects include:
* Possible tachycardia
* hypertension
* Possible atrial and ventricular dysrythmias
* In severe acidosis, possible hypotension with vasodilation
(bounding pulse)
Treatment:
Effected treatment aims to correct the underlying source of alveolar
hypoventilation.
Treatment for underlying conditions includes: * Bronchodilators,
* Oxygen
* Antibiotics/Drug therapy
* Dialysis – to remove toxic drugs, and correction of metabolic
alkalosis