Affect of Hypoventilation/Hyperventilation on P02 in blood

[scottydsntkno]

I just came across the following question,

Hypoventilation has what effect on the composition of gas in arterial blood compared to normal?

I Put: Increased PCO2 and normal PO2

The answer was Increased PCO2 and decreased PO2.

Now, from my anatomy courses, and review of the solubility of gasses in blood, I was under the impression that the PO2 changes are relatively little (as Hb is responsible for the majority of the O2 pool, as well as the fact that O2 has poor solubility in blood).

The answer to the question explained why PCO2 would be lower, but did not touch on PO2.
This is TPRH Science Workbook.

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[AureatEagle]

I just came across the following question,

Hypoventilation has what effect on the composition of gas in arterial blood compared to normal?

I Put: Increased PCO2 and normal PO2

The answer was Increased PCO2 and decreased PO2.

Now, from my anatomy courses, and review of the solubility of gasses in blood, I was under the impression that the PO2 changes are relatively little (as Hb is responsible for the majority of the O2 pool, as well as the fact that O2 has poor solubility in blood).

The answer to the question explained why PCO2 would be lower, but did not touch on PO2.
This is TPRH Science Workbook.

Thanks!

Just consider that during hypoventilation, you're not breathing as much as you normally are. As a result, your blood spends more time in the state where it hasn't yet been refreshed in the lungs. This means higher CO2 and lower O2, since in order to be properly oxygenated relative to normal, you'd have to be cycling your blood through the lungs normally.