Respiratory acidosis

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Respiratory acidosis

Respiratory acidosis is a condition that occurs when the lungs cannot remove all of the carbon dioxideproduced by the body. This creates a disruption in the body's acid-base balance. Bodyfluids become excessively acidic.

Respiratory acidosis can result fromlung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and severe asthma.

Other conditions that may lead to respiratory acidosis include:

• Obesity hypoventilation syndrome
• Excessive fatigue or weakness of the rib cage muscles
• Severe deformities of the spine and rib cage such as severe scoliosis
• Airway obstruction

Chronic respiratory acidosis occurs over a long period of time. Thisleads to a stable situation. This is because the kidneys increase chemicals thathelp restore the body's acid-base balance.

Acute respiratory acidosis is a severe condition in whichthe carbon dioxide builds up very quickly.

Murray J, Nadel J. Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2000: 191-192.

Marx J. Rosen?s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 5th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2002:1716-1717.

Ford MD,Clinical Toxicology. 1st ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2001:92.

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