Your body has a number of ways of regulating the amount of acid in your blood, including through your breathing. If your breathing becomes impaired, it can lead to a condition known as acute respiratory acidosis. One of the effects of acute respiratory acidosis is changes in the levels of an electrolyte known as bicarbonate.
Acute Respiratory Acidosis
Acute respiratory acidosis is caused by a sudden decrease in your lung function, which causes the amount of oxygen in your blood to drop while your carbon dioxide concentration rises. Acute respiratory acidosis can result from drugs that slow breathing, including "downers" such as benzodiazepines and narcotics, particularly when these compounds are combined with alcohol. Diseases of the lungs, like asthma and COPD, or conditions that affect the nerves and muscles and cause the lungs to expand and contract may also result in acute respiratory acidosis.
Increased Carbon Dioxide and Acidosis
When your lungs don't work properly, they cannot expel dioxide efficiently, which causes carbon dioxide levels in the blood to rise. Increased levels of carbon dioxide is what causes the drop in pH, which leads to acidosis. When carbon dioxide is dissolved in your blood, some of it is turned into carbonic acid; the more carbon dioxide in your blood, the more carbonic acid that is produced, which causes your blood pH to drop.
Carbonic Acid and Bicarbonate
When your levels of carbonic acid increase, some of this acid gets turned into hydrogen ions and an electrolyte known as bicarbonate. An increase in bicarbonate levels coupled with an increase in the acidity of the blood is indicative of acute respiratory acidosis. Bicarbonate levels are typically measured as part of a blood test known as an electrolyte panel, Lab Tests Online reports. The normal level of bicarbonate in the blood ranges from 23 to 29 mEq per L of blood.
Treatment
Because acute respiratory acidosis is caused by a fairly rapid decrease in lung function, the treatment goals are to restore lung function. If the airways are blocked, drugs that dilate the airways are used. If the amount of oxygen in the blood gets too low, supplemental oxygen can be used. Mechanical ventilation is an option for severe cases. Ultimately, once the cause of the decreased lung function is fixed, the acidosis and electrolyte changes will return to normal.
