Which acid-base pattern is consistent with respiratory acidosis?

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Multiple Choice

Which acid-base pattern is consistent with respiratory acidosis?

Explanation:
Respiratory acidosis happens when ventilation is inadequate, so CO2 builds up in the blood. CO2 combines with water to form carbonic acid, lowering pH. On an arterial blood gas, this shows as a decreased pH with an increased PaCO2. In this scenario, the pattern described—low pH with high PaCO2—fits respiratory acidosis best. The other patterns point to either metabolic issues or mixed disorders (for example, low pH with low PaCO2 suggests metabolic acidosis with respiratory compensation, while high pH with low PaCO2 indicates respiratory alkalosis, and a high pH with high PaCO2 isn’t consistent with isolated respiratory acidosis).

Respiratory acidosis happens when ventilation is inadequate, so CO2 builds up in the blood. CO2 combines with water to form carbonic acid, lowering pH. On an arterial blood gas, this shows as a decreased pH with an increased PaCO2. In this scenario, the pattern described—low pH with high PaCO2—fits respiratory acidosis best. The other patterns point to either metabolic issues or mixed disorders (for example, low pH with low PaCO2 suggests metabolic acidosis with respiratory compensation, while high pH with low PaCO2 indicates respiratory alkalosis, and a high pH with high PaCO2 isn’t consistent with isolated respiratory acidosis).

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