The patient has been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)and is on oxygen therapy at 2 L per nasal cannula.Why must the nurse monitor this patient's respiratory status during the night?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the patient with COPD,high levels of oxygen can extinguish the stimulus to breathe.
In the individual with healthy lungs,the chemoreceptors are sensitive to small changes in carbon dioxide levels and effectively regulate ventilation.In patients with COPD who retain carbon dioxide,the chemoreceptors are not sensitive to small changes in carbon dioxide and regulate ventilation poorly.In these patients,it is the change in the oxygen level that stimulates changes in ventilation.Patients with COPD are at risk for retaining carbon dioxide and developing carbon dioxide narcosis induced by administration of high levels of oxygen.

The Patient Has Been Diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease