Mary Morgan has just been brought into the emergency room of City General Hospit
ID: 3520000 • Letter: M
Question
Mary Morgan has just been brought into the emergency room of City General Hospital. She is perspiring profusely, and breathing rapidly and irregularly. Her breath smells like acetone (sweet and fruity), and her blood sugar is 650 mg/ml blood. She is acidotic.
1. Why is she breathing rapidly and irregularly? Your answer should include the chemical equation describing what happens when water reacts with CO 2 , and the relevant respiratory reflex.
2. Is her acidosis respiratory or metabolic? Explain.
Explanation / Answer
1. The breathing is rapid and irregular because the chemoreceptors like O2 and CO2 do not function well which are the important chemic regulators of respiration.
H20 + 2CO2 ---> HCO3- + O2O2
2. She is affected with respiratory keto acidosis and blood sugar levels clearly indicates the severe case of diabetes which is left untreated.