Respiratory alkalosis

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Respiratory alkalosis
Classifications and external resources
ICD-10 E87.3
ICD-9 276.3
DiseasesDB 406
MedlinePlus 000111
eMedicine med/2009 
MeSH D000472

Respiratory alkalosis results from increased alveolar respiration (hyperventilation) leading to decreased plasma carbon dioxide concentration. This leads to decreased hydrogen ion and bicarbonate concentrations. This can occur when a person moves from sea level to high altitudes.

There are two types of respiratory alkalosis: chronic and acute.

  • In chronic respiratory alkalosis, for every 10 mM drop in pCO2 in blood, there is a corresponding 5 mM of bicarbonate ion drop. The drop of 5 mM of bicarbonate ion is a compensation effect which reduces the alkalosis effect of the drop in pCO2 in blood.
  • In acute respiratory alkalosis, there is no compensational effect. During acute respiratory alkalosis, the person will lose consciousness where the rate of ventilation will resume to normal.

[edit] See also

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