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Respiratory acidosis

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Respiratory acidosis

Definition:

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

Alternative Names:
Ventilatory failure; Respiratory failure; Acidosis - respiratory

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Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Respiratory acidosis can result from lung 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. This leads to a stable situation. This is because the kidneys increase chemicals that help restore the body's acid-base balance.

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

References:

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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