Question

The nurse plans care for a patient with COPD. Understanding that the patient is most likely to experience what type of acid-base balance?

A) Metabolic Acidosis
B) Metabolic Alkalosis
C) Respiratory Acidosis
D) Respiratory Alkalosis

Answer 1

The patient with COPD is most likely to experience Respiratory Acidosis due to the inability of the lungs to remove carbon dioxide effectively.

Step-by-step explanation:

The patient with COPD is most likely to experience Respiratory Acidosis.

Respiratory acidosis is characterized by excess CO2 in the blood. In COPD, the lungs are unable to effectively remove carbon dioxide from the body, leading to an increase in its concentration in the blood. This results in a decrease in blood pH, making it more acidic.

There may also be evidence of compensation, such as an increase in the levels of bicarbonate in an attempt to reestablish the proper ratio of bicarbonate and carbonic acid/CO2 in the blood.