title: Extreme hypercapnia in a fully alert patient.
abstract: A patient is described with decompensated chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) and extreme hypercapnia. Despite an arterial CO2 level of 160 mm Hg, the patient remained awake and alert. This indicates that CO2 narcosis is not an invariable finding in severe hypercapnia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Critical Care Medicine, Cook County Hospital, Chicago 60612.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Meissner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franklin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D006935:Hypercapnia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology