Answered

Compare her current [tex]PCO_2[/tex] to what you predict it would have been prior to the pneumonia. Taking into account her kidney failure and now her pneumonia, why has her [tex]PCO_2[/tex] changed?

Remember:
[tex]\[ CO_2 + H_2O \rightleftharpoons H_2CO_3 \rightleftharpoons H^+ + HCO_3^- \][/tex]

A. Her [tex]PCO_2[/tex] would have been lower than her current 52 mmHg as her lungs were able to get rid of the excess [tex]CO_2[/tex] and compensate for her diminishing kidney function. Pneumonia has increased the respiratory system's ability to get rid of the excess [tex]CO_2[/tex], so her [tex]PCO_2[/tex] has dropped.

B. Her [tex]PCO_2[/tex] would have been lower than her current 52 mmHg as her lungs were able to get rid of the excess [tex]CO_2[/tex] and compensate for her diminishing kidney function. Pneumonia has reduced the respiratory system's ability to get rid of the excess [tex]CO_2[/tex], so her [tex]PCO_2[/tex] has risen.

C. Her [tex]PCO_2[/tex] would have been higher than her current 52 mmHg as her lungs were not able to get rid of the excess [tex]CO_2[/tex] and compensate for her diminishing kidney function. Pneumonia has increased the respiratory system's ability to get rid of the excess [tex]CO_2[/tex], so her [tex]PCO_2[/tex] has dropped.

D. Her [tex]PCO_2[/tex] would have been higher than her current 52 mmHg as her lungs were able to get rid of the excess [tex]CO_2[/tex] and compensate for her diminishing kidney function. Pneumonia has reduced the respiratory system's ability to get rid of the excess [tex]CO_2[/tex], so her [tex]PCO_2[/tex] has risen.



Answer :

GinnyAnswer
Let's analyze the situation step-by-step:

### Background Information

PCO2 refers to the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood. The body maintains PCO2 levels through the respiratory system, which expels CO2, and the kidneys, which play a role in maintaining acid-base balance.

Pneumonia is a respiratory condition that can impair the lungs' ability to expel CO2 effectively.

### The Given Situation

1. Current PCO2: 52 mmHg.
2. Condition: "Pneumonia has reduced the respiratory system's ability to get rid of the excess CO2 so her PCO2 has risen."

### Analyzing Options

- Option a: Claims that pneumonia has increased the respiratory system's ability to get rid of CO2, resulting in lowered PCO2. This directly contradicts the given condition, as pneumonia is stated to reduce the ability to expel CO2, causing an increase in PCO2. Therefore, this option is incorrect.

- Option b: States that before pneumonia, her lungs were able to compensate for diminishing kidney function by expelling excess CO2, leading to lower PCO2. Pneumonia has now reduced this ability, causing her PCO2 to rise to 52 mmHg. This fits the given condition perfectly, making it the correct option.

- Option c: Suggests that her PCO2 would have been higher than the current 52 mmHg before pneumonia because her lungs could not expel excess CO2. It then claims that pneumonia increased the respiratory ability, leading to a drop in PCO2. This is incorrect since the condition states the opposite about pneumonia's effect.

- Option d: The statement is incomplete and does not provide sufficient information to qualify as an answer, making it incorrect.

### Conclusion

Based on the analysis, the statement that aligns perfectly with the given condition is:

b. Her PCO2 would have been lower than her current 52 mmHg as her lungs were able to get rid of the excess CO2 and compensate for her diminishing kidney function. Pneumonia has reduced the respiratory system's ability to get rid of the excess CO2 so her PCO2 has risen.

Thus, the correct choice is b.