Respiratory acidosis

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Respiratory system

Respiratory acidosis is a condition that occurs when the lungs cannot remove all of the carbon dioxide produced by the body. This creates a disruption in the body's acid-base balance. Body fluids become excessively acidic.

Ventilatory failure; Respiratory failure; Acidosis - respiratory

Respiratory acidosis can result from lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and severe asthma.

Other conditions that may lead to respiratory acidosis include:

• Obesity hypoventilation syndrome  
• Excessive fatigue or weakness of the rib cage muscles
• Severe deformities of the spine and rib cage such as severe scoliosis
• Airway obstruction

Chronic respiratory acidosis occurs over a long period of time. This leads to a stable situation. This is because the kidneys increase chemicals that help restore the body's acid-base balance.

Acute respiratory acidosis is a severe condition in which the carbon dioxide builds up very quickly.

Review Date: 02/14/2006
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, CriticalCare & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Reviewprovided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.