Hyperventilation/High altitude - CO2

[AxlxA]

i learned from school in advanced physio that when you hyperventilate, u are breathing too fast for CO2 exchange and results in higher PCO2 in ur body, which leads to acidosis.

but in princeton review, they tell u exactly the opposite, hyperventilation lets u breathe out more CO2......

Someone please give me a FINAL say on this and i'll stick with it.

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[gatorgrl7]

i learned from school in advanced physio that when you hyperventilate, u are breathing too fast for CO2 exchange and results in higher PCO2 in ur body, which leads to acidosis.

but in princeton review, they tell u exactly the opposite, hyperventilation lets u breathe out more CO2......

Someone please give me a FINAL say on this and i'll stick with it.

Well, not the most scientific answer, but when I became scuba certified they taught us that if you hyperventilate, you more effectively eliminate CO2 from your lungs. Maybe there is a threshold level that actually does result in the opposite effect?

 

[AxlxA]

Well just hearing it in real life makes it a little clearer, so i will stick with CO2 decrease when u breathe faster.

High altitude => alkalosis?

 

[CH3CH2OH]

hmm, haven't checked a book this time...but when you're hyperventilating breathing into a paper bag helps. this way you inhale more CO2 (the CO2 you've just exhaled). so if inhaling more CO2 helps, hyperventilation probably leads to alkalosis, right?

maybe i should go look it up though

 

[AxlxA]

another great real life example. Now what about high altitudes? lower PO2 and PCO2 at the atmosphere so increase CO2 excahnge at alveoli?

 

[BigLazy]

When you breath too fast, you actually get too much oxygen and your blood gets basic (alkadosis). That is why they tell you to breath in a paper bag so you get some the CO2 back in your body to equilibrate the pH.
higher altitude has less oxygen available, so your body is goin to adjust by making more rbc to suck in all the oxygen available in the air. It does nothing to your blood pH. People faint because they don't have enough oxygen delivered to their brain, not because of basic or acidic blood.

 

[AxlxA]

thanks alot BigLazy

 

[Dr. N]

Well just hearing it in real life makes it a little clearer, so i will stick with CO2 decrease when u breathe faster.

High altitude => alkalosis?

well that does not sound right to me. high altitude - low O2, you hemoglobin delivers less oxygen to your tissues. I don't see how it will lead to alkalosis

 

[Fusion]

There was a thread last night regarding hemoglobin, O2 dissociation, and hyperventilation. I can guarantee you everything you would want to know (plus some) about any of these topics you will be able to find in the thread.