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MBBS QUESTION #10264
Question 1
Renal (metabolic) compensation for a primary respiratory acid-base disturbance (e.g., chronic hypercapnia in COPD) is characteristically much slower than respiratory compensation for a primary metabolic disturbance, typically requiring:
  • Only a few seconds
  • A few minutes
  • Several hours to a few days, as renal bicarbonate handling adjusts✔️
  • Compensation never occurs for respiratory disturbances
Correct Answer Explanation
Respiratory compensation (via chemoreceptor-driven changes in ventilation) occurs within minutes, whereas renal compensation requires altering bicarbonate reabsorption and net acid excretion, a slower process taking several hours to days to reach a new steady state — explaining why chronic (compensated) respiratory acidosis differs biochemically from acute (uncompensated) respiratory acidosis.