The nurse is caring for a client in acute respiratory distress. The client's arterial blood gas indicates the client has an excess of carbonic acid (C02) in the blood. The nurse recognizes that the client has which acid-base imbalance?
A) Respiratory acidosis
B) Metabolic alkalosis
C) Respiratory alkalosis
Option A - Respiratory acidosis
Respiratory acidosis is a condition in which blood pH is lowered making it acidic which is due to the increased levels of carbonic acid that might have resulted from the decreased carbon dioxide elimination resulting in high carbon dioxide in the blood
Metabolic alkalosis - Increased pH of blood caused by the increased levels of bicarbonate levels in blood (mostly due to improper functioning of kidney)
Respiratory alkalosis - Increased pH of blood due to increased levels of carbon dioxide in blood
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