Prognosis
The prognosis of a respiratory acidosis depends entirely on what the cause of this condition is and whether it can be permanently corrected. If the cause is a pure respiratory obstruction, respiratory acidosis is a pure symptom which disappears as soon as the respiratory obstruction is removed. If there is damage to the brain stem, in most cases there is unfortunately no therapeutic option.
However, it must also be said that brain stem damage is present when patients are in intensive care after serious accidents and their chances of survival are already very low anyway. If the patient suffers from COPD, his airways are chronically constricted. This means that chronic respiratory acidosis also develops in him.
Of course, COPD is a serious, progressive disease, but the advantage with respect to respiratory acidosis is that the body can slowly and safely get used to this condition without a sudden derailment. This means that the patient can live under these conditions for several years if they are moderate and metabolically balanced. The prerequisite for this is an intact kidney.
Should an acute exacerbation of COPD occur, i.e. an acute attack with shortness of breath, patients are given a sympathomimetic drug that can open up the airways. Overall it can be said that there are numerous causes for respiratory insufficiency.Therapy and prognosis are extremely variable and must be individually adapted to the patient.
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