A 19-year-old male is reported to have taken too many narcotic pain pills that were prescribed for his recent knee surgery.He is extremely sleepy with very shallow breathing.His color is pale and his SpO₂ reading is 84%.His body is probably attempting to compensate for his poor level of ventilatory effort by stimulating the respiratory system to increase rate and tidal volume.Normally,respiratory drive is triggered by changing levels of:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Respiratory drive is primarily triggered by the changing levels of carbon dioxide in the body. When carbon dioxide levels rise, it stimulates the respiratory system to increase rate and tidal volume to eliminate the excess carbon dioxide and maintain normal blood pH levels. Oxygen levels can also influence respiratory drive, but it is not the primary driver. pH and glucose do not directly affect respiratory drive.

A 19-Year-Old Male Is Reported to Have Taken Too Many