Question

question 5 of 10
a patient comes in to the er and gets an arterial blood gas which shows they have a high co2 and normal o2 and a respiratory acidosis due to this high level of co2. based on this information alone, how would you expect the patients breathing to be in response to this increase in the carbon dioxide level of the blood?
the respiratory rate would be decreased.
the respiratory rate should be above normal.
the respiratory rate should be normal
the patient is not breathing at all.

Explanation:

When there is an increase in carbon dioxide (\(CO_2\)) levels in the blood (as in respiratory acidosis), the body's respiratory control centers (such as the medulla oblongata) detect this change. High \(CO_2\) levels lead to a decrease in blood pH (more acidic). The respiratory system responds by increasing the respiratory rate. This increased rate helps to expel more \(CO_2\) from the body (since \(CO_2\) is a waste product of cellular respiration and is removed during exhalation). A decreased respiratory rate would further retain \(CO_2\) (worsening the acidosis), a normal respiratory rate would not be sufficient to correct the elevated \(CO_2\) levels quickly, and if the patient is not breathing at all, \(CO_2\) would continue to accumulate (and there would be no gas exchange for \(O_2\), but the question states \(O_2\) is normal which contradicts the "not breathing at all" option).

Answer:

The respiratory rate should be above normal.