Acute & emergency · UKMLA & AKT
Respiratory alkalosis
A free high-yield preview for the UKMLA Applied Knowledge Test, covering how to recognise this condition. The full SA Note notes add investigations, management and complications, with practice questions on this topic.
Key high-yield points
- Respiratory alkalosis = high pH (>7.45), low PaCO2 (<4.7 kPa) from hyperventilation. Important to distinguish primary respiratory alkalosis from compensatory hyperventilation (e.g. Kussmaul breathing in DKA - where the primary disorder is metabolic acidosis with raised anion gap, not respiratory alkalosis).
DKA causes metabolic acidosis with increased anion gap. Kussmaul breathing (compensatory hyperventilation) may lower PaCO2, but the primary ABG finding is metabolic acidosis - not respiratory alkalosis.
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