What is the primary action needed when respiratory acidosis is present?

In cases of respiratory acidosis, the primary action needed is to increase minute ventilation. This condition arises when there is an accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood, which leads to a decrease in blood pH. The body attempts to compensate for this by increasing respiratory drive to expel carbon dioxide, thereby raising blood pH back to normal levels.

Increasing minute ventilation helps to enhance the exchange of gases in the lungs—specifically, it increases the amount of carbon dioxide that is exhaled. By doing so, it helps to reduce the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the arterial blood, correcting the acidosis.

Maintaining or decreasing minute ventilation would not address the root cause of the elevated carbon dioxide levels. Simply monitoring oxygen saturation without addressing ventilation would also be insufficient, as respiratory acidosis directly relates to carbon dioxide retention rather than just oxygen levels. Thus, the correct course of action is to increase minute ventilation to effectively manage respiratory acidosis.