Abstract
Respiratory alkalosis is the most frequent acid-base disturbance encountered in clinical practice. This is particularly true in critically ill patients, for whom the degree of hypocapnia directly correlates with adverse outcomes. Although this acid-base disturbance often is considered benign, evidence suggests that the alkalemia of primary hypocapnia can cause clinically significant decreases in tissue oxygen delivery. Mild respiratory alkalosis often serves as a marker of an underlying disease and may not require therapeutic intervention. In contrast, severe respiratory alkalosis should be approached with a sense of urgency and be aggressively corrected.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 834-838 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | American Journal of Kidney Diseases |
Volume | 60 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2012 |
Keywords
- Respiratory alkalosis
- alkalemia
- hyperventilation
- hypocapnia
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Nephrology