Question

question 16 - 1 point
a patient has symptoms including increased breathing rate, numbness, muscle spasms, and nausea. the blood ph is checked and found to be 7.5 and co₂ pressure is 37 torr. the patient most likely has what condition?
select the correct answer below:
rrespiratory acidosis
metabolic acidosis
respiratory alkalosis
metabolic alkalosis

Explanation:

• pH analysis: Normal blood pH is around 7.35 - 7.45. A pH of 7.5 indicates alkalosis (blood is more basic than normal).
• Cause - effect relationship: Increased breathing rate (hyperventilation) leads to excessive loss of \(CO_2\) (normal \(CO_2\) pressure is around 35 - 45 torr, but the key is the loss due to breathing). In the carbonic acid - bicarbonate buffer system (\(H_2CO_3

ightleftharpoons H^++HCO_3^-\), and \(CO_2 + H_2O
ightleftharpoons H_2CO_3\)), when \(CO_2\) is lost, the equilibrium shifts to the left (Le Chatelier's principle). Fewer \(H^+\) ions are produced, which increases the pH. This is characteristic of respiratory alkalosis (where the cause of the pH change is related to the respiratory system, specifically \(CO_2\) levels).

• Elimination of other options:
• Respiratory acidosis would have a lower pH (due to retained \(CO_2\) increasing \(H^+\) production).
• Metabolic acidosis/alkalosis would be related to non - respiratory factors (e.g., problems with bicarbonate levels from metabolic processes, not directly from \(CO_2\) loss due to breathing in this case).

Answer:

respiratory alkalosis