Causes of respiratory acidosis

A. Alveolar hypoventilation

A.1. CNS problems

• Drug depression of respiratory centre
• CNS injury
• Hypoventilation of obesity
• Cervical cord lesion (at or above C4)
• Tetanus
• Poliomyelitis
• Cardiac arrest with cerebral hypoxia

A.2. Nerve/muscle disorder

• Guillain-Barre syndrome
• Myasthenia gravis
• Muscle relaxant drugs
• Toxins (venom, etc)
• Myopathies

A.3. Lung or chest wall disorder

• Acute on chronic COPD
• Chest trauma
• Pneumothorax
• Diaphragmatic paralysis or splinting
• Pulmonary oedema
• ARDS
• Aspiration
• Restrictive lung disease

A.4. Airway disorder

• Asthma
• Laryngospasm
• Upper airway obstruction

A.5. External factors

• Inadequate mechanical ventilation

B. Overproduction of CO2

Hypercatabolic disorder

• Malignant hyperthermia

C. Increased intake of CO2

• Rebreathing
• Insufflation of CO2 into body cavity