A nurse is assessing a patient with respiratory acidosis.
What symptoms should the nurse anticipate?

Choice A rationale:

Mitral valve stenosis is a condition characterized by a narrowing of the mitral valve in the heart, which can lead to a variety of symptoms. One of the most common symptoms of mitral valve stenosis is a heart murmur. This is due to the turbulent flow of blood caused by the narrowed valve. The murmur is typically heard during a physical examination when a healthcare provider listens to the heart with a stethoscope.

Choice B rationale:

Bradycardia, or a slower than normal heart rate, is not typically associated with mitral valve stenosis. While mitral valve stenosis can cause irregular heart rhythms, it does not typically cause the heart rate to slow down.

Choice C rationale:

Clubbing of the fingers is a physical symptom that involves changes in the areas under and around the nails and is typically associated with conditions that cause chronic low blood oxygen levels. While mitral valve stenosis can lead to shortness of breath and fatigue, it does not typically cause clubbing of the fingers.

Choice D rationale:

A barrel chest, characterized by an increased chest diameter, is typically associated with conditions that cause chronic overinflation of the lungs, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is not a typical symptom of mitral valve stenosis.

In conclusion, while mitral valve stenosis can lead to a variety of symptoms, the most relevant to this question is a heart murmur. Other symptoms such as bradycardia, clubbing of the fingers, and a barrel chest are not typically associated with this condition.

Choice A rationale:

Metabolic alkalosis Metabolic alkalosis is a condition that occurs when your body has too many bases. It can occur due to prolonged vomiting, use of diuretics, or an overuse of antacids. In the context of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), metabolic alkalosis is not typically a direct result of the disease. COPD primarily affects the respiratory system and does not directly cause an imbalance of bases in the body.

Choice B rationale:

Respiratory acidosis Respiratory acidosis is a condition that occurs when the lungs can’t remove enough carbon dioxide (CO2). This leads to a buildup of CO2 in the body, causing the pH of the blood to decrease and become more acidic. This is the most common acid-base imbalance seen in patients with COPD1. COPD can cause an alteration in respiratory exchanges, leading to retention of CO21. The consequence of hypercapnia due to alteration of gas exchange in COPD patients mainly consists in an increase of H+ concentration and development of respiratory acidosis.

Respiratory alkalosis Respiratory alkalosis is a condition that occurs when there is too little carbon dioxide in the body, often due to hyperventilation. In the context of COPD, this is less likely because COPD patients often have difficulty expelling carbon dioxide, not an excess of it being expelled.

Choice D rationale:

Metabolic Acidosis Metabolic acidosis occurs when the body produces too much acid, or when the kidneys are not removing enough acid from the body. This can occur due to conditions such as kidney disease, lactic acidosis, or ketoacidosis. While COPD can have wide-ranging effects on the body, it does not typically cause metabolic acidosis directly.