Question

The hypoxic drive is a phenomenon in which:

a) a chronically hypoxic patient's primary respiratory drive is stimulated by increased levels of carbon dioxide in the arterial blood
b) high levels of oxygen rapidly depress a COPD patient's respiratory rate and depth, leading to worsened hypoxia and severe acidosis
c) bicarbonate ions migrate into the cerebrospinal fluid of chronically hypoventilating patient, making the brain think that acid and base are in balance
d) a relatively large percentage of patients with COPD become acutely apneic after receiving high flow oxygen

Answer 1

The hypoxic drive refers to the shift in the respiratory drive from carbon dioxide to low oxygen levels as the primary trigger for breathing in some chronically hypoxic patients, especially in the context of diseases like COPD, where it is important to manage oxygen therapy carefully.

Step-by-step explanation:

The hypoxic drive is a phenomenon where a chronically hypoxic patient's primary respiratory drive is stimulated by low oxygen (hypoxia) rather than the normal stimulus of high carbon dioxide (CO2) levels.

In conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the body adapts to persistently high levels of CO2, and as a result, the peripheral chemoreceptors become less responsive to CO2 as a respiratory stimulus. Consequently, these patients rely more on the hypoxic drive from low oxygen levels to stimulate breathing. Therefore, administering high concentrations of oxygen to these patients may suppress the hypoxic drive, potentially leading to hypoventilation, increased CO2 levels, and respiratory acidosis.