Respiratory Alkalosis: Causes

Pathogenesis (disease development)

In respiratory alkalosis, increased respiration (hyperventilation) is present. As a result, too much CO2 is released from the lungs. As a result, the partial pressure of pCO2 in the blood decreases (hypocapnia) and the pH rises above 7.45.

Etiology (Causes)

Biographic causes

• Age – Psychogenic hyperventilation occurs predominantly in females during puberty into young adulthood.
• Hormonal factors – Gravidity (pregnancy).

Behavioral causes

• Psycho-social situation
  • Anxiety
  • Mental, emotional stress
• Stay at high altitude
• Stay in greater heat

Lack of oxygen, for example, as a result of

• Anemia (anemia)
• Aspiration – inhalation of bodily secretions (saliva or stomach contents) and exogenous solid and liquid substances into the respiratory tract.
• Bronchial asthma
• Staying in high heat
• Emphysema (pathological overinflation of the alveoli).
• Hematothorax – accumulation of blood in the pleural space (airless space between the pleura and pleura).
• Heart defect with right-to-left shunt
• Heart failure (cardiac insufficiency)
• Pulmonary disease with reactive hyperventilation in hypoxemia (oxygen deficiency):
  • Pulmonary embolism (occlusion of pulmonary vessels).
  • Pulmonary edema (accumulation of water in the lungs)
  • Pneumonia (pneumonia)
• Restrictive lung disease, this is disease in which lung and/or thorax (chest) is/are reduced expandable; this includes the following diseases:
  • Exogenous allergic alveolitis
  • Pulmonary fibrosis
  • Pneumoconioses (dust inhalation diseases).
  • Sarcoidosis (synonyms: Boeck’s disease; Schaumann-Besnier’s disease) – systemic disease of connective tissue with granuloma formation (skin, lungs and lymph nodes).
• Thoracic instability – instability of the chest.

Direct irritation of the respiratory center, for example, by.

• Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).
• Fever
• Brain tumors
• Hyperthyroidism
• Liver cirrhosis/liver coma (liver failure)
• Meningitis (meningitis)
• Mental, emotional stress (anxiety, etc.)
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Pain
• Sepsis (blood poisoning), gram-negative
• Cerebrovascular insult (stroke).

Medication

• Nicethamide – drug which is one of the analeptics; these have an excitatory effect on the CNS.
• Salicylates – group of drugs to which acetylsalicylic acid (ASA; analgesic) belongs, among others.

Other causes

• Altitude stay
• Artificial respiration
• Hepatic coma (liver failure)
• Pregnancy