Question

A 5-year-old patient is having a severe asthma attack and comes into the ED. Which acid-base imbalance would the nurse expect?

A. Metabolic acidosis
B. Metabolic alkalosis
C. Respiratory acidosis
D. Respiratory alkalosis

Answer 1

A nurse would expect a 5-year-old patient suffering from a severe asthma attack to experience (C) respiratory acidosis, characterized by excess CO₂ in the blood, low pH, and potentially increased HCO₃ as a compensatory action.

Step-by-step explanation:

The acid-base imbalance that a nurse would expect in a 5-year-old patient having a severe asthma attack is respiratory acidosis. This condition occurs due to an excess of carbonic acid in the blood, resulting from too much CO₂ because the patient cannot breathe effectively. In the case of asthma, the airways narrow, leading to difficulty in exhaling CO₂, which causes it to accumulate in the blood.

The lab results showing pH 7.31 and higher than normal pCO₂ indicate acidosis, while the increased total HCO₃ suggests compensatory mechanisms are attempting to correct the imbalance by increasing bicarbonate levels to buffer the excess acid. This condition is primarily due to respiratory dysfunction; therefore, it is classified as respiratory acidosis.