Which intervention is least likely to help correct respiratory alkalosis in a patient?

Increasing PEEP (Positive End-Expiratory Pressure) is least likely to help correct respiratory alkalosis. PEEP is a mode of mechanical ventilation used to maintain open airways at the end of expiration, thus improving lung recruitment and oxygenation. While it can help reduce shunting and improve ventilation-perfusion matching, it does not directly address the hyperventilation that leads to respiratory alkalosis.

Respiratory alkalosis typically occurs due to hyperventilation, which decreases carbon dioxide levels in the blood. Therefore, interventions that aim to reduce the respiratory rate or tidal volume are more effective. Increasing tidal volume or decreasing the frequency can help retain carbon dioxide, thereby potentially correcting the alkalosis. Providing anxiolytics may also help reduce anxiety-induced hyperventilation in some patients. However, increasing PEEP does not effectively address the underlying cause of respiratory alkalosis and may even exacerbate ventilatory issues, making it the least suitable option among the interventions listed.