What Is Respiratory Acidosis?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
3. Causes of Chronic Respiratory Acidosis
There are several potential causes of chronic respiratory acidosis. One of these is asthma, which will cause breathing problems for the patient, thus potentially resulting in a build up of CO2. Severe obesity is another potential cause because the additional body mass can make it harder for the patient’s lungs to expand fully.
There is also pulmonary edema, which is the accumulation of fluids in the lungs. Another potential cause is an abnormal curvature of the spine known as scoliosis, which can affect the lungs’ ability to function properly. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is another potential cause, as are some neuromuscular disorders, including multiple sclerosis.
Advertisement
