ABSTRACT
Respiratory causes ■ Acidosis: hypoventilation which has both central causes (depression of
the respiratory centres, e.g. by opioids, GAs) and peripheral causes (acute respiratory failure (type II), airway obstruction and decreased chest wall movement, e.g. trauma)
■ Alkalosis: hyperventilation (e.g. fever, sepsis, pain, anxiety, pneumonia, pulmonary embolus).
