Question

Emphysema developed as a result of David’s heavy smoking habit. This makes it so difficult for him to breath and he can’t walk through a shopping center without frequently sitting to rest and “catch his breath”. Describe what is occurring with David’s acid-base balance as related to his damaged alveoli air spaces/emphysema. (5 marks )

Answer 1

Emphysema is a disease of the lungs that usually develops after many years of smoking.In this condition there is damage to the alveoli, which are the air sacs of the lungs, in normal condition when you inhale air, the alveoli stretch, drawing oxygen in and transporting it to the blood. When you exhale, the alveoli shrink, forcing carbon dioxide out of the body, but in emphysema because the alveoli is damaged it creates one larger air space instead of many small ones and reduces the surface area available for gas exchange and less oxygen will be able to move into the bloodstream and there is too much air trapped in the lungs and the patient cannot get air out of the lungs (gives barrel chest apperance) and there is accumulation of CO2 in the body.

The retention of CO2 is hydrated to form carbonic acid, Carbonic acid is a weak and volatile acid that quickly dissociates to form hydrogen and bicarbonate ions, increased hydrogen ion causes your blood pH to drop, this results in respiratory acidosis, which results in increased pCO2 and a fall in pH on arterial blood gas analysis.