Why Hypercapnia in Copd?

Multiple factors in COPD are thought to contribute to the development of hypercapnia including increased carbon dioxide (CO₂) production, increased dead space ventilation, and the complex interactions of deranged respiratory system mechanics, inspiratory muscle overload and the ventilatory control center in the ...

Why do COPD patients retain co2?

Patients with late-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are prone to CO₂ retention, a condition which has been often attributed to increased ventilation-perfusion mismatch particularly during oxygen therapy.

Why does oxygen cause hypercapnia in COPD?

Providing supplemental oxygen can, in a sense, reverse the HPV and shunt blood back to poorly ventilated areas (increased shunt fraction). This creates a V/Q mismatch which results in hypercapnia from the increased dead space at well ventilated alveoli.