To prevent respiratory (breathing-related) acidosis, attention must be paid to reducing individual risk factors.
Behavioral risk factors
- Drug use
- Opiates – powerful painkillers such as morphine.
- Overweight (BMI ≥ 25; obesity).
Other risk factors
- Pulmonary disease and flying (here a hypoxia challenge test (HCT) is indicated to simulate the flight situation) – respiratory acidosis (hypercapnia) may develop due to the required and substituted oxygen