Metabolic acidosis is described as a:

Metabolic acidosis is described as a:

• A. Increase in CO2 content and PCO2 with a decrease pH
• B. Decrease in CO2 content with an increased pH
• C. Increase in CO2 with an increased pH
• D. Decrease in CO2 content and PCO2 with a decreased pH

Answer: (D)

Metabolic acidosis lowers the blood pH because bicarbonate is lost or acid accumulates. To compensate, the body increases ventilation and blows off CO2, which lowers the PCO2 in the blood. So you end up with a decreased pH along with a reduced CO2 content/PCO2 due to respiratory compensation. The other patterns don’t fit: more CO2 would worsen acidosis, while less CO2 with higher pH points to alkalosis, not metabolic acidosis.

Metabolic acidosis lowers the blood pH because bicarbonate is lost or acid accumulates. To compensate, the body increases ventilation and blows off CO2, which lowers the PCO2 in the blood. So you end up with a decreased pH along with a reduced CO2 content/PCO2 due to respiratory compensation. The other patterns don’t fit: more CO2 would worsen acidosis, while less CO2 with higher pH points to alkalosis, not metabolic acidosis.