Chapter 13, Problem 30CT

Summary Introduction

To analyze:

Aspirin is an acidic substance and its overdose leads to an increase in respiratory rates. The effects of aspirin overdose on the increase of respiratory rates and these increased respiratory rates benefits to the organism.

Introduction:

Aspirin being an acidic substance tends to decrease the blood pH (potential of hydrogen). An aspirin overdose will drastically reduce the blood pH and consequently, increases the rate of respiration to maintain physiological pH of the body. The increased rate of respiration lower down the carbonic acid levels in the blood, which in turn leads to an increase in blood pH, which is compromised by pH drop due to aspirin overdose.