sc131 CrystalElmalahUnit7Assignment
Crystal Elmalah
Unit 7 Assignment
Anatomy & Physiology II
Respiratory acidosis is a condition that occurs when the lungs cannot remove all the carbon dioxide the body produces. This causes body fluids, especially the blood, to become too acidic. Chronic respiratory acidosis occurs over a long period of time, this leads to a stable situation, because the kidneys increase body chemicals, such as bicarbonate, that help restore the body’s acid-base balance. Acute respiratory acidosis is a condition in which carbon dioxide builds up quickly, before the kidneys can return the body to a state of balance. Some of the symptoms may include: confusion, fatigue, lethargy, shortness of breath, and sleepiness. Some causes of respiratory acidosis are: diseases of the airways, such as asthma; diseases of the chest, such as scoliosis; drugs that suppress breathing, such as narcotics and downers; and severe obesity, which restricts how much the lungs can expand. Treatment may include: bronchodilator drugs to reverse some types of airway obstruction; a breathing machine such as CPAP or BiPAP; oxygen if the blood oxygen level is low; and for smokers, treatment to stop smoking. (Medline Plus, 2014). Respiratory alkalosis is a condition that changes the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood. When you breathe, oxygen is inhaled into the lungs and carbon dioxide is exhaled. Normally these two gases are kept in balance by the respiratory system. Respiratory alkalosis occurs when carbon dioxide levels drop too low. This causes the pH of the blood to rise and become too alkaline. Some symptoms of respiratory alkalosis may include: dizziness, bloating, feeling light-headed, numbness and/or muscle spasms in the hands and feet, discomfort in the chest area, confusion, dry mouth, tingling in the arms, heart palpitations, and feeling short of breath. In severe cases the person may have a seizure. Hyperventilation is the underlying cause of respiratory alkalosis.
Unit 7 Assignment
Anatomy & Physiology II
Respiratory acidosis is a condition that occurs when the lungs cannot remove all the carbon dioxide the body produces. This causes body fluids, especially the blood, to become too acidic. Chronic respiratory acidosis occurs over a long period of time, this leads to a stable situation, because the kidneys increase body chemicals, such as bicarbonate, that help restore the body’s acid-base balance. Acute respiratory acidosis is a condition in which carbon dioxide builds up quickly, before the kidneys can return the body to a state of balance. Some of the symptoms may include: confusion, fatigue, lethargy, shortness of breath, and sleepiness. Some causes of respiratory acidosis are: diseases of the airways, such as asthma; diseases of the chest, such as scoliosis; drugs that suppress breathing, such as narcotics and downers; and severe obesity, which restricts how much the lungs can expand. Treatment may include: bronchodilator drugs to reverse some types of airway obstruction; a breathing machine such as CPAP or BiPAP; oxygen if the blood oxygen level is low; and for smokers, treatment to stop smoking. (Medline Plus, 2014). Respiratory alkalosis is a condition that changes the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood. When you breathe, oxygen is inhaled into the lungs and carbon dioxide is exhaled. Normally these two gases are kept in balance by the respiratory system. Respiratory alkalosis occurs when carbon dioxide levels drop too low. This causes the pH of the blood to rise and become too alkaline. Some symptoms of respiratory alkalosis may include: dizziness, bloating, feeling light-headed, numbness and/or muscle spasms in the hands and feet, discomfort in the chest area, confusion, dry mouth, tingling in the arms, heart palpitations, and feeling short of breath. In severe cases the person may have a seizure. Hyperventilation is the underlying cause of respiratory alkalosis.
References: Elmhurst College. (2014). Respiratory Acidosis. Retrieved from http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/263respiratoryacid.html. Hansen Nursing. (2014). Normal Values. Retrieved from http://www.m2hnursing.com/ABG/normal_values.php. Healthline. (2014). Respiratory alkalosis. Retrieved from http://www.healthline.com/health/respiratory-alkalosis. Medline Plus. (2014). Alkalosis. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001183.htm. Medline Plus. (2014). Respiratory acidosis. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000092.htm. Medline Plus. (2014). Respiratory alkalosis. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000111.htm. Medline Plus. (2014). Metabolic acidosis. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000335.htm.