High Levels of CO2 in Blood

High blood levels of carbon dioxide are measured using a test for blood gases and for bicarbonate levels in the blood. This indicates a condition that is called hypercapnia. Hypercapnia occurs most commonly in diseases where there is deficient lung function like acute respiratory distress syndrome. This is one of the fallouts of diseases like swine flu and infections from SARS and tuberculosis. This condition will eventually lead to death if not controlled, but the problem itself is a bit more complicated than there just being too much carbon dioxide in the blood. There are some situations where a high level of carbon dioxide in the blood is tolerated as long as hypoxia and ischemia does not occur. This is sometimes the case where people are placed in mechanical ventilators.

In the body, carbon dioxide is created as a result of the burning of fuels like glucose and glycogen. The breakdown of these and transformation into other forms of cellular fuel causes the release of carbon dioxide within the cells. This carbon dioxide moves into the blood, reaches the lungs where a gas exchange happens and the gas is then expelled in the breathing process. However, this is not the complete story. Carbon dioxide is one of the most important inputs in the body for balancing out the pH levels of the blood. Carbon dioxide can be easily converted into bicarbonate in the kidneys. This is a base and can be used to neutralize the levels of acid in the body. Naturally, our bodies are a bit acidic inside and out but there is a certain pH level beyond which our bodies will self destruct. Countering low pH levels is done with the action of bicarbonate.

The most common reason for its occurrence is damaged lungs from infection and injury. Other reason for this occurring is simply being in a high carbon dioxide environment. This is sometimes is the case in industrial settings and when diving. Divers usually use a scrubber like lime that can absorb carbon dioxide from exhaled air but if this is not efficient enough, exhaled air ends up being inhaled again. Divers sometimes also indulge in dubious techniques like skip breathing where a breath is skipped to save oxygen, allowing for longer dives. This situation is as dangerous as it leads to having too much nitrogen in the system that will eventually cause the bends. Hypercapnia is a medical emergency.