Question

A young child is rushed to the hospital after ingesting a high level of over-the-counter aspirin he found in the bathroom cabinet. Immediately afterward, he began hyperventilating and convulsing, eventually losing consciousness. A quick blood draw revealed severe alkalosis most likely due to the high salicylate (basic) content of aspirin and decreased bicarbonate concentration.

Explain why the hyperventilation (too fast breathing) would contribute to the severity of the child's condition, and contributed to him collapsing and losing consciousness.

(Hint! Use the Bohr effect to explain the fluctuating levels of CO2 and O2 in the bloodstream and how it contributes to acid-base equilibrium.)

Answer 1