- Hypokalemia (potentiates effects of digoxin; evokes ventricular cardiac dysrhythmias)
- Decreased serum ionized calcium concentration
- Compensatory hypoventilation (may be exaggerated in patients with COPD or those who have received opioids; compensatory hypoventilation rarely results in PaCO2 > 55 mm Hg)
- Arterial hypoxemia (reflects effect of compensatory hypoventilation)
- Increased bronchial tone (may contribute to atelectasis)
- Leftward shift of oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve (oxygen less available to tissues)
- Decreased cardiac output
- Cardiovascular depression and cardiac dysrhythmias (result of inadvertent iatrogenic respiratory alkalosis to pre-existing metabolic alkalosis during anesthetic management)
COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.