endocrine and metabolic disorders
Respiratory Acidosis
Symptoms and Signs of Respiratory Acidosis
Symptoms and signs depend on the rate and degree of Pco2increase. CO2rapidly diffuses across the blood-brain barrier. Symptoms and signs are a result of high CO2concentrations and low pH in the CNS and any accompanying hypoxemia. narcosis). Slowly developing, stable respiratory acidosis (as in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]) may be well tolerated, but patients may have memory loss, sleep disturbances, excessive daytime sleepiness, and personality changes. Signs include gait disturbance, tremor, blunted deep tendon reflexes, myoclonic jerks, asterixis, and papilledema. 