In an individual with metabolic acidosis, a clue that the respiratory system is compensating is provided by a. high blood bicarbonate levels, b. low blood bicarbonate levels, c. rapid, deep breathing, d. slow, shallow breathing.

Video transcript

Hi, everyone. Let's take a look at our next question. What happens to respiratory rate and depth? When the respiratory system tries to compensate for metabolic acid based imbalances. A respiratory rate elevates respiratory depth drops. B respiratory rate drops, respiratory depth elevates c respiratory rate, elevates and respiratory depth elevates or d respiratory rate drops and respiratory depth drops. So, when we have metabolic acid base imbalances, that means the body is producing too much acid. So the ph of the blood is decreasing. This can also happen if the body is losing too much bicarbonate as well. So how does the body try and deal with this in terms of the respiratory system? Well, this stimulates chemo receptors in the brain as that acidity becomes higher and they cause respiratory rate and depth to increase. That means that more CO is eliminated from the body. And since CO2 concentrations increase CO2 concentrations lead the blood to become more acidic. That means that the PH will increase as more CO2 is eliminated. So our correct answer here is choice c that the respiratory rate and depth both elevate in a phenomenon known as compensatory hyper ventilation. And this is sort of how you will distinguish between metabolic acidosis, acidosis and respiratory acidosis and respiratory acidosis. The high acid levels are due to the fact that CO2 levels are rising. It's not being eliminated by the lungs as it should in metabolic acidosis. The increased acid is due to some other factor. Co2 levels will actually drop due to this hyperventilation. So that's kind of there's a distinguishing mark there. So when that respiratory system tries to compensate for metabolic acid be imbalances. The answer is choice c respiratory rate elevates and respiratory depth elevates. See you in the next video.