Respiratory alkalosis is characterized by the lack of carbon dioxide in the blood, also called CO2, as it is less acidic than normal, reaching a pH greater than 7. 45.
This lack of carbon dioxide can be caused by several factors, such as faster and deeper normal breathing, which can occur during periods of anxiety, stress, psychological changes, or due to a disease that causes rapid breathing, such as infections, neurological changes, lung or heart disease, for example.
- Your treatment is primarily normalizing breathing.
- So it’s important for your doctor to act to resolve the cause that triggered your respiratory failure.
Respiratory alkalosis usually occurs when there is deeper, faster normal breathing, which could occur in the following situations:
All of these causes, among others, could lead to a degradation of carbon dioxide in the blood, making it more alkaline.
Generally, the symptoms present in respiratory alkalosis are caused by the disease that causes this alteration and also by the effects on brain hyperventilation, there may be tingling in the lips and face, muscle spasms, sienes in the hands and being away from reality for a few minutes. In more severe cases, dizziness, shortness of breath, confusion and coma may occur.
The primary means of confirming respiratory alkalosis is to perform a blood test called arterial blood gas tests, where it is possible to check the values of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood, as well as pH. In general, a pH of approximately 7. 45 can in this test, as well as CO2 values by 35 mmHg in arterial blood.
Treatment depends on the cause of respiratory alkalosis, if the person had rapid breathing caused by anxiety, treatment would be based on decreased breathing rate, decreased anxiety and increased amount of carbon dioxide inspired, in case of fever, this should be controlled with antipyretic medications and in case of poisoning, detoxification should be performed.
However, in severe and difficult-to-control cases, such as neurological diseases, sedation may be necessary to regulate the patient’s respiratory centers. In addition, it may be necessary to adjust the monitor settings for artificial breathing, when the person is in this condition.
If respiratory alkalosis occurs at high altitudes, it is normal for the body to seek to compensate for this lack of oxygen by increasing heart rate and output, as well as breathing rate.