Ventilatory response to hypoxia and CO2 following CO2 exposure and NaHCO3 ingestion.

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Abstract
The ventilatory responses to hypoxia and CO2 were studied in 3 young adult males under normal conditions, following exposure to 5 or 6% CO2 for 48 hr. and following the ingestion of 50 g sodium-bicarbonate per day for 3 days. With both respiratory acidosis and metabolic alkalosis, the subjects hypo-ventilated when breathing room air. In both conditions the CO2 ventilatory response curves were displaced from the control position to higher CO2 pressure values on the abscissa, and although the response to small increments of alveolar CO2 tension was small compared to control, the maximum slopes, at high CO2 tensions, were as great or greater than control. The hypoxic ventilatory response curve in the 2 test situations, if compared with control at equivalent PaCO2 showed a diminished response; but if the comparison was made with Paco2 held at the particular level selected when breathing room air in all cases, then there was no difference. If the interaction of hypoxic and CO2 stimuli to ventilation was evaluted by comparing the maximal slopes of the CO2 response curves, the interaction of hypoxia and CO2 was absent following both CO2 exposure and bicarbonate ingestion.