What is the main cause of respiratory alkalosis?

Respiratory alkalosis is a condition in which the patient washes out excessive carbon dioxide that results in the pH rising. This causes alkalosis in the body which can disrupt the body functions. It usually occurs during hyperventilation. Extreme anxiety s one of the common cases of hyperventilation.

Patient over breathes involuntarily causing excessive wash out of carbon dioxide. This condition can be aggravated by fever, heart failure as well as brain injuries close to the respiratory center. Type 1 diabetes often results in diabetic ketoacidosis that is a kind of metabolic acidosis. Opioid overdose depresses the respiratory center that ultimately results in respiratory acidosis.

Extreme anxiety-rationale: extreme anxiety may lead to respiratory alkalosis by causing hyperventilation, which results in excessive carbon dioxide (co2) loss. other conditions that may set the stage for respiratory alkalosis include fever, heart failure, injury to the brains respiratory center, overventilation with a mechanical ventilator, pulmonary embolism, and early salicylate intoxication. type 1 diabetes may lead to diabetic ketoacidosis; the deep, rapid respirations occurring in this disorder (kussmauls respirations) dont cause excessive co2 loss. myasthenia gravis and opioid overdose suppress the respiratory drive, causing co2 retention, not co2 loss; this may lead to respiratory acidosis, not alkalosis.client needs category: physiological integrityclient needs subcategory: physiological adaptationcognitive level: comprehensionreference: smeltzer, s.c., et al. brunner & suddarths textbook of medical-surgical nursing, 11th ed. philadelphia: lippincott williams & wilkins, 2008, p. 337.