Exam Cram NCLEX RN Practice Questions Related

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What drives respiration in a patient with advanced chronic respiratory failure?

  • A. Hypoxemia
  • B. Hypocapnia
  • C. Hypercapnia
  • D. None of the above
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: In patients with advanced chronic respiratory failure, such as those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the respiratory drive shifts from being primarily stimulated by high levels of carbon dioxide (hypercapnia) to being driven by low oxygen levels (hypoxemia). This shift is due to the body's adaptation to chronic respiratory acidosis and hypoxemia. As a result, hypoxemia becomes the primary stimulus for respiration in these patients. Hypocapnia, a low level of carbon dioxide, is not a common driver of respiration in patients with advanced chronic respiratory failure. Therefore, the correct answer is hypoxemia.