What condition is characterized by abnormally elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the blood?

Hypercarbia is the condition characterized by abnormally elevated levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the blood. Elevated CO2 levels can be caused by inadequate ventilation, meaning that the body is not expelling CO2 efficiently, which can occur in various respiratory disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or severe asthma.

In hypercarbia, the increase in carbon dioxide can lead to respiratory acidosis, where the blood becomes more acidic due to the accumulation of CO2 in the form of carbonic acid. While acidosis is related, it describes the pH alteration resulting from hypercarbia rather than the elevated CO2 levels directly.

On the other hand, hypoxia refers to low levels of oxygen in the tissues, and respiratory alkalosis is characterized by low CO2 levels due to hyperventilation, which is the opposite of hypercarbia. Thus, hypercarbia specifically identifies the condition of elevated CO2 in the blood.