Certified Transport Registered Nurse Certification Practice Exam

What condition is associated with hypercapnia?

1. Asthma

2. Chronic bronchitis

3. Atelectasis

4. Congestive heart failure

The correct answer is: Chronic bronchitis

Hypercapnia, which is an elevated level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the blood, is primarily associated with chronic conditions that impair ventilation. Chronic bronchitis, a condition characterized by long-term inflammation and narrowing of the airways, significantly affects airflow and gas exchange. Patients with chronic bronchitis often have difficulty expelling CO2 due to the obstruction in their airways, leading to retention of carbon dioxide and thus hypercapnia. In this condition, the accumulation of CO2 occurs because the lungs are unable to effectively ventilate, primarily due to mucus buildup and bronchial obstruction. This results in poor gas exchange, where oxygen cannot adequately enter the bloodstream, and CO2 effectively lingers, leading to hypercapnia. The body's compensatory mechanisms may struggle to manage these imbalances when the respiratory system is consistently impaired over time, as seen in chronic bronchitis. Other conditions like asthma, atelectasis, and congestive heart failure can present with varying degrees of respiratory distress but are not as directly linked to hypercapnia as chronic bronchitis is. Thus, chronic bronchitis stands out as the primary condition associated with this respiratory complication.