Acid-Base Relations between Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid in Normal Subjects and Patients with Respiratory Insufficiency

THE occurrence of a variety of central-nervous-system abnormalities in association with either under-ventilation or overventilation is well known.1 , 2 Clinically, severe disturbances of nervous-system function progressing to coma frequently occur with ventilatory insufficiency.3 In this situation anoxia is present, and, although the administration of oxygen corrects the hemoglobin unsaturation, hypercapnia may worsen, with further Central-nervous-system deterioration. More efficient ventilation, with a consequent fall in carbon dioxide tension (pCO2), results in clinical improvement. On the other hand, abnormally low pCO2 and high pH of arterial blood is associated with giddiness, confusion, flushing, paresthesias and spasmodic muscle contraction. These symptoms . . .