In metabolic acidosis, what happens to PaCO2 as compensation progresses?

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Multiple Choice

In metabolic acidosis, what happens to PaCO2 as compensation progresses?

Explanation:
Metabolic acidosis lowers the bicarbonate level and pH, and the body compensates primarily through the respiratory system by increasing ventilation to blow off carbon dioxide. Reducing PaCO2 shifts the bicarbonate–carbonic acid balance toward a higher pH, helping to move the pH back toward normal. A common way to estimate this response is that PaCO2 falls in proportion to the drop in HCO3− (for example, via Winters formula: predicted PaCO2 ≈ 1.5 × [HCO3−] + 8 ± 2). So as compensation progresses, PaCO2 decreases (hypocapnia) due to hyperventilation.

Metabolic acidosis lowers the bicarbonate level and pH, and the body compensates primarily through the respiratory system by increasing ventilation to blow off carbon dioxide. Reducing PaCO2 shifts the bicarbonate–carbonic acid balance toward a higher pH, helping to move the pH back toward normal. A common way to estimate this response is that PaCO2 falls in proportion to the drop in HCO3− (for example, via Winters formula: predicted PaCO2 ≈ 1.5 × [HCO3−] + 8 ± 2). So as compensation progresses, PaCO2 decreases (hypocapnia) due to hyperventilation.

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