Until this happens, the blood pH will be lower than normal. However, once the kidney swings into action, it can compensate almost fully. The body tries to maximize ventilation in an effort to remove CO 2 from the blood. Respiratory Acidosis Respiratory acidosis occurs when the alveolar exchange of CO 2 is impeded. Possible causes include obstructive or restrictive respiratory conditions, an acute airway obstruction, bracing of the thoracic cage due to injury or pain, limitation of respiratory excursion due to extreme obesity, or conditions affecting respiratory muscles or the nerves and pathways that drive them.
Respiratory acidosis is discussed more fully under blood gas interpretation .
Clinical manifestations of hypercapnea include somnolence, hypertension, and retinal edema. The metabolic acidoses are divided into two camps based on the serum anion gap. The anion gap relies on two assumptions. Any change in the anion gap must reflect changes in chloride, bicarbonate, or other unspecified anions. In acidoses with a normal anion gap, the body has lost bicarbonate either via the kidneys or the GI tract.