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Difficulty: EasyPhysiological Adaptation

A nurse is evaluating a client who was brought to the clinic experiencing a severe panic attack. The client has a respiratory rate of 34 breaths per minute and reports tingling in the fingers and lightheadedness. Based on this clinical presentation, which acid-base imbalance should the nurse anticipate?

  1. A
    Metabolic acidosis
  2. B
    Respiratory acidosis
  3. Respiratory alkalosisAnswer
  4. D
    Metabolic alkalosis

Answer

Respiratory alkalosis
The correct answer is respiratory alkalosis. During a severe panic attack, a client typically hyperventilates. This rapid breathing causes the body to exhale excessive amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). Because CO2 acts as an acid in the bloodstream, blowing off too much of it decreases the body's carbonic acid levels, causing the blood pH to rise above 7.45 and leading directly to respiratory alkalosis.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary physiological mechanism occurring in the client.
The client is hyperventilating (respiratory rate of 34 breaths per minute) due to a panic attack.
Recognizing the underlying physiological change is the first step in identifying the resulting acid-base imbalance.
2
Determine the effect of hyperventilation on carbon dioxide (CO2) levels.
Rapid, deep breathing causes excessive elimination of CO2 from the lungs.
CO2 acts as an acid in the blood. When breathing rate increases, the body "blows off" this acid.
3
Correlate the loss of CO2 to the correct acid-base imbalance.
The significant loss of CO2 decreases blood acidity, raising the pH and causing an alkalotic state of respiratory origin.
Since the origin of the imbalance is the respiratory system's excessive removal of CO2, the condition is respiratory alkalosis.

Key Concept

Acid-Base Imbalances: Respiratory Alkalosis
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Topics

Physiological Adaptation

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