Final answer:
Accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood, complicating hypoxemia, leads to "respiratory acidosis", a condition characterized by increased acidity due to excessive carbonic acid from elevated CO₂ levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
Complicating the hypoxemia is an accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood, which in turn causes respiratory acidosis.
Respiratory acidosis occurs when there is an excess of carbonic acid in the blood, leading to increased blood acidity due to elevated levels of CO₂. This can result from conditions that impair respiratory functions such as pneumonia, congestive heart failure, or drug-induced hypoventilation (due to substances like morphine, barbiturates, or ethanol). The condition is marked by the inability of the lungs to expel CO₂ effectively, which can be further exacerbated by holding one's breath. In contrast, respiratory alkalosis is when there is a deficiency of carbonic acid in the blood, generally caused by hyperventilation, which can occur due to various reasons including emotional distress, fever, or toxicity such as from an aspirin overdose.