Acute hypoventilation acidosis

Respiratory acidosis may be acute or chronic. Acute conditions occur within minutes or htnirs. They are uncompensated. Renal compensation has no time to develop as the mechanisms which adjust bicarbonate reabsorption take 48-72 h to become fully effective. The primary problem in acute respiratory acidosis is alveohir hypoventilation. If airflow is completely or partially reduced, the PCO, in the bltHtd will rise immediately and the H ) will rise quickly (Fig. 2). A resulting low PO, and high PCO. causes coma. If this is not reliev ed rapidly, death results. 

In order to effectively treat respiratory acidosis, the causative process must be identified and treated. If a cause is identified, specific therapy should be started. This may include naloxone for opiate-induced hypoventilation or bronchodilator therapy for acute bronchospasm. Because respiratory acidosis represents ventilatory failure, an increase in... 

If acute hypercapnia does not constitute a threat to normal individuals with good blood circulation and normal renal function, in a surgical patient in shock with reduced renal blood flow, hypoventilation may mean death as a result of rapidly worsening acidosis. When blood pH falls to low values, the neuromuscular impulses that control heart beats are distorted, and ventricular fibrillation may develop. 

This nomenclature is now applied to the sequence of events in hypoventilation. Within half an hour, the subject moves to a point which is described as acute or uncompensated respiratory acidosis . There is acidaemia. Over the course of the ensuing days, renal compensation occurs and the patient s blood is represented by a point which is described as compensated respiratory... 

Respiratory acidosis Hypoventilation of acute onset results in a change of blood biochemistry (along the normal, to a different) blood line, as shown by arrow. .. In the resultant uncompensated respiratory acidosis the alveolar PCO2 is... 

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