Other diseases that may lead to respiratory acidosis include: the obesity hypoventilation syndrome, excessive fatigue of the diaphragm or muscles of the rib cage, or severe deformities of the spine and rib cage (for example, severe scoliosis).

In chronic respiratory acidosis, mild impairment of the lungs' ability to remove carbon dioxide occurs over a long period of time, leading to a stable situation. This is because the kidneys increase their retention of bicarbonate to maintain an acid-base balance in the blood that is almost normal.

In severe cases, the carbon dioxide builds up very quickly, leading to severe distubrances in the acid-base balance of the blood.

Causes and Risks

Nearly any lung disease may lead to respiratory acidosis. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of respiratory acidosis. COPD is most often caused by cigarette smoking.

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