If a patient develops acidosis or a fever,the nurse would expect the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve to: A) shift to the right,causing more O₂ to be released to the cells. B) shift to the left,allowing less O₂ to be released to the cells. C) show no change,allowing the O₂ concentration to remain stable.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Acidosis and fever both cause an increase in metabolic activity which leads to an increase in CO2 production. The increased CO2 causes a decrease in blood pH which shifts the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve to the right, resulting in more oxygen being released to the cells. This compensates for the increased demand for oxygen due to increased metabolic activity.

If a Patient Develops Acidosis or a Fever,the Nurse Would