How does hypoventilation typically affect arterial blood gas values?

Hypoventilation leads to an inadequate ventilation rate, which causes a buildup of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream. When ventilation decreases, the body cannot effectively remove carbon dioxide during exhalation, resulting in an elevated level of carbon dioxide (hypercapnia). This accumulation of carbon dioxide reacts with water in the body to form carbonic acid, which dissociates into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions, ultimately lowering the pH of the blood and leading to respiratory acidosis.

The increase in carbon dioxide levels signifies that, despite oxygen concentration potentially being normal in some cases, the primary change associated with hypoventilation is the increase in carbon dioxide and the resultant decrease in blood pH. This shift in the acid-base balance is critical in understanding the impact of hypoventilation on arterial blood gases.