Why does rapid breathing at high altitudes results to respiratory alkalosis?
Lower Po2 at high altitudes increases the respiratory rate and the heart rate. When you increase the respiratory rate you blow off more CO2 resulting in less acid in your blood. This is a respiratory alkalosis. If you bring supplemental oxygen with you this can be prevented. God bless. PS I should have told you that as you gain altitude the barometric pressure decreases and if the FIO2 (the fractional concentration of oxygen) remains the same then you are breathing in less oxygen and become hypoxemic.
