Which is part of managing respiratory acidosis?

• A. Oxygen administration
• B. Hyperventilation
• C. Chest physiotherapy
• D. Vasopressors

Answer: (A)

In respiratory acidosis the problem is retaining carbon dioxide, which lowers the blood pH. A key part of management is ensuring adequate oxygen delivery to tissues while you address the elevated CO2, so giving supplemental oxygen is commonly used to correct hypoxemia and support overall patient stability as ventilation is optimized or mechanical support is arranged. Oxygen helps prevent tissue hypoxia and reduces the work the body must do to compensate, even though it does not directly remove CO2. It’s important to titrate oxygen to maintain safe saturations, especially in patients like those with COPD where excessive oxygen can worsen CO2 retention. Hyperventilation would push CO2 down further and worsen the acidosis, so it isn’t appropriate here. Chest physiotherapy helps clear secretions and airflow but doesn’t correct the acid-base disturbance on its own, and vasopressors address blood pressure rather than ventilation or CO2 elimination.