Final answer:
The lab results of a 64-year-old male with asthma indicate respiratory acidosis with partial compensatory mechanisms. Separate lab results of a 38-year-old woman with bulimia suggest metabolic alkalosis caused by the loss of stomach acid through vomiting. Both cases demonstrate the body's ability to regulate acid-base balance via respiratory and metabolic pathways.
Step-by-step explanation:
The case presented describes a 64-year-old male with asthma and laboratory results indicating a pH of 7.31, pCO2 higher than normal, and total HCO3 also higher than normal. This pattern suggests the patient is experiencing respiratory acidosis with partial compensation, as evidenced by the high pCO2 and HCO3. Asthma can lead to respiratory acidosis due to restricted airflow and decreased gas exchange, leading to CO2 retention and HCO3 elevation as a compensatory mechanism.
Conversely, metabolic alkalosis can be illustrated through the case of Kim, a 38-year-old woman with bulimia, exhibiting a pH of 7.48, normal pCO2, and elevated HCO3. Bulimia often involves repeated vomiting which can lead to loss of stomach acids, such as HCl, resulting in an increase of blood bicarbonate levels contributing to metabolic alkalosis.
The control of blood carbonic acid levels through the respiratory system is crucial, as it allows the body to regulate pH by adjusting the ventilation rate to alter CO2 levels; this is exemplified in conditions such as hyperventilation.