Acid-base physiology: practice question

The best answer is D, Increase bicarbonate reabsorption. With chronic carbon dioxide retention, kidneys compensate by retaining bicarbonate and increasing acid excretion, partially correcting the fall in extracellular pH.

Ammonium production rises to support acid excretion.

Bicarbonate excretion would worsen acidemia.

Hydrogen secretion increases rather than stops.

It tests Acid-base physiology in Physiology. The correct option holds because: Correct: renal bicarbonate retention compensates chronic respiratory acidosis.

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

For each system, sketch the key graph (pressure–volume loop, oxygen dissociation curve, nephron handling) and explain it aloud. Then use the flashcards and the other Physiology questions on this site to test what stuck.

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.