Ventilatory and integrated physiological responses to chronic hypercapnia in goats

Key points Chronic hypercapnia per se has distinct effects on the mechanisms regulating steady‐state ventilation and the CO2/H+ chemoreflex. Chronic hypercapnia leads to sustained hyperpnoea that exceeds predicted ventilation based upon the CO2/H+ chemoreflex. There is an integrative ventilatory, cardiovascular and metabolic physiological response to chronic hypercapnia. Chronic hypercapnia leads to deterioration of cognitive function.