One of your patients has been a long-time smoker. You run some tests and find out that her blood pH is slightly more acidic, generally caused by increased levels of CO2. You also notice that she has polycythemia (high amounts of RBCs). Given what you have studied in lab, why does she have increased levels of dissolved CO2?
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This means that less oxygen is absorbed into the blood and less carbon dioxide (CO2) is expelled from the body. Second, the body responds to low oxygen levels by producing more red blood cells (RBCs), a condition known as polycythemia. This is an attempt to Show more…
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