Respiratory acidosis occurs when the central respiratory system becomes depressed and decreased breathing increases the body's acidity. To understand the role of potassium in respiratory acidosis, you must have an understanding of the metabolic reactions that take place in your body. The potential power of hydrogen, or pH, is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. Cells in the body respond to changing pH by adjusting their potassium levels.
Significance of pH
The normal pH of blood is between 7.35 and 7.45. Acidosis describes the reactions that occur in bodily tissues that result in a blood pH below 7.34. In respiratory acidosis the respiratory system fails to eliminate carbon dioxide as quickly as it is being produced by cell metabolism. Your lungs and kidneys play a major role in restoring pH to a normal balance. Your lungs attempt to compensate for the acidosis with with rapid, shallow breathing, which helps to remove excess carbon dioxide. The kidneys try to help out by excreting carbonic acid, which forms in the blood when carbon dioxide builds up.
Potassium
Potassium is an electrolyte, or charged particle, found within body fluids that helps transmit electrical impulses for proper nerve, heart and muscle function. Potassium occurs primarily within your body's cells. Any deficit or excess of potassium can have a life-threatening effect on consciousness. Respiratory acidosis can be a serious condition that can result in abnormal heart rhythms.
Respiratory Acidosis
In respiratory acidosis, breathing slows down and the body does not eliminate carbon dioxide as quickly as the tissues produce it. The increase in retained carbon dioxide results in an increase in hydrogen ion concentration, which reduces pH. The changes in pH and hydrogen ion concentration cause potassium to shift between intracellular and extracellular spaces---the spaces inside and outside of the cells. In acidosis, the body has an excess of extracellular potassium. During respiratory acidosis, cells try to address the condition by shifting potassium into the extracellular fluid in exchange for hydrogen ions. When hydrogen ions move into the cells, pH increases, which helps to correct the acidosis.
Symptoms
A person with respiratory acidosis may exhibit difficulty breathing and shallow respiration. As the acidosis progresses, apprehension, confusion and changes in level of consciousness appear. Severe acidosis can cause life-threatening heart rhythms if left untreated.
Treatment
Treatment for respiratory acidosis focuses on correcting its underlying cause. In addition to addressing the underlying cause of the respiratory problem, a doctor must also correct the resulting potassium deficit. If the patient is alert, oral potassium supplements are the safest route of administration. Administering intravenous potassium poses a risk of cardiac arrhythmias and requires close monitoring.
References
- "Fluids and Electrolytes DeMystified"; J. Johnson PhD; 2008
- "RN"; Restoring electrolyte: A. Astle; 2005
