Question

How do you lower high levels of carbon dioxide in your blood?

Answer 1

The increase of carbon dioxide in our blood will cause our breathing to become faster and deeper (hyperventilation). Carbon dioxide is considered as a waste product in our blood.

Complete answer:
Hypercapnia is the condition in which it arises due to high carbon dioxide levels in the blood. This condition arises due to hypoventilation or due to less availability of oxygen. When the concentration of carbon dioxide increases in the blood then the affinity of the hemoglobin towards the oxygen decreases.

When there is too much carbon dioxide and less oxygen then the breathing frequency increases but the breath depth decreases due to the partial pressure. Then the greater amount of carbon dioxide will be diffused in the lungs and will eventually be exhaled.

Carbon dioxide is a carbonic anhydride and it dissolves in water to form carbonic acid. This increase in the concentration of carbonic acid due to a large amount of carbon dioxide will lower the pH of the blood thereby causing respiratory acidosis. The body will try to get rid of carbonic acid by releasing the carbon dioxide and also by holding as much as bicarbonate base in the kidneys. The blood pressure, heart rate, and kidney bicarbonate production both increase which contributes to hyperventilation.

Arteries in the brain, spinal cord, and heart dilate so that more blood flows are diverted to maintain the function of these critical organs.

Note: The body uses the specific mechanisms to compensate for the excess carbon dioxide. Breathing rate and breathing volume increase to lower the carbon dioxide level in the blood as the hyperventilation causes to lower the carbon dioxide and to normalize the pH of the blood.