Respiratory alkalosis occurs when a person hyperventilates or breathes so fast that he depletes a majority of the carbon dioxide in his system causing an acid-base imbalance. In order to stay in balance, the body needs a certain amount of acid or carbon dioxide and a certain amount of pH or base. Respiratory alkalosis causes the level of carbon dioxide to drop and the pH to rise creating this imbalance, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Signs
Facial expressions and body movements often display signs of hyperventilating and impending respiratory alkalosis. A panic attack, for instance, often causes a person to hyperventilate. Reaching for a chair to avoid falling because of dizziness, or the inability to speak clearly, are classic signs. Holding the head, indicating a headache or clutching the chest, indicating pain are all signs of hyperventilating resulting in respiratory alkalosis. Treating the symptoms often includes having the person breathe into a paper bag or using a mask to re-breathe his carbon dioxide.
Symptoms
Symptoms of respiratory alkalosis include becoming dizzy or light-headed, often with confusion, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center website. Individuals will often complain of numbness in the hands and feet. Respiratory alkalosis can occur suddenly, or the condition can be chronic where the body constantly compensates for the high levels of pH in the system by dropping the production of bicarbonate or base. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, an arterial blood gas test can measure the carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood, allowing the physician to confirm respiratory alkalosis, but not always the cause.
Causes
Central nervous system dysfunctions, such as stroke, brain hemorrhage, and diseases like meningitis, can also cause respiratory alkalosis, as all of these conditions can cause impairment in the rate and depth of breathing. Drugs, such as aspirin, doxapram and drinking a lot of coffee in a short period, can alter breathing rate and ultimately the body's acid-base balance. Lung infections, fever and pregnancy can cause an increased pH level. Most lung diseases that cause chronic shortness of breath can also cause acute and chronic respiratory alkalosis.
