Metabolic Acidosis

Question: Metabolic Acidosis? Why do MD's today think they can correct a acidosis with a ventilator. What harm is there is creating a Respiratory Alkalosis for long periods of time, days that is.

Answer: It depends on the cause and origin of the acidosis, as well as the other medical problems the patient has to consider. I wish I could've been more help...God bless.

Question: how can metabolic acidosis or alkalosis arise? how can metabolic acidosis or alkalosis arise and how do these conditions shift the bicarbonate equilibrium. disscuss the body's compensatory mechanisms and treatment options to maintain homeostasis?

Answer: are you in AP Bio? I had this exact question for hw this weekend

Question: How can I distinguish between repiratory acidosis and metabolic acidosis?

Answer: This is a simplified technique to determine the primary acid/base disorder. 1) Look at the pH. If it is >7.4, then the primary disorder is an alkalosis. If <7.4, it is acidosis. However, remember, a normal pH is 7.36-44. 2) Look at the pCO2. A normal pCO2 is ~40 mm Hg. If you have an acidosis and the pCO2 is high, then you have a primary respiratory acidosis (due to CO2 retention). If the pCO2 is low, then you have a metabolic acidosis. This is a very simplified guide to interpreting respiratory vs. metabolic acidosis.

Question: Can some one explain to me High Anion Gap Metabolic Acidosis? OR please share a link where it is explained in a simple way. Thank you in advance.

Answer: Metabolic acidosis is acid accumulation from increased acid production or acid ingestion, Causes are classified by their effect on the anion gap . The Anion Gap is an approximate measurement of ions, that is molecules with a charge, either negative or positive.The most common causes of a high anion gap metabolic acidosis are Ketoacidosis,Lactic acidosis, Renal failure, Toxic ingestions. Check out the link for more information on the above causes.

Question: Introduction to metabolic acidosis and the history of it's discovery? Explanation of metabolic acidosis History of metabolic acidosis discovery

Answer: As for the history of discovery, I'm not sure I ever heard that. Metabolic acidosis occurs when the body's metabolism produces an excessive amount of acid, that is not excreted quickly enough to prevent the blood's pH from dropping: lactic acid and beta hydroxy butyric acid and aceto acetic acid are common acids here. Metabolic acidosis is held separate from respiratory acidosis, in which the lungs fail to remove the carbon dioxide generated normally; the increased carbon dioxide also causes the blood's pH to fall. Both should have their cause identified, and treated; on the whole, hospital grade facilities are needed.

Question: Does kidney failure necessarily mean the body is in metabolic acidosis?

Answer: Yes. Kidney failure → Lesions in Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells → Excrete NH3�H+↓ → Producing HCO3- ↓ → Metabolic acidosis

Question: what is the difference between metabolic acidosis and metabolic alcalosis?

Answer: The first is acid the second alkaline. The body should be balanced between the two.

Question: When a patient has metabolic acidosis from prolong diarrhea, why is there bicarbonate in his gut?

Answer: As Dr. L has pointed out the body produces Bicarb to help balance the acid not only in the stomach and the intestines but in the blood. Remember that because of cellular respiration you have O2 and CO2 circulating. However, prolonged diarrhea depletes the body of one of it's normal acid sources and due to the chronic nature the imbalance shifts to the basic or bicarb side of the pH scale as there are always buffers in the intestinal system. In order to treat this patient you need to not only treat the symptoms but the root cause (the diarrhea).

Question: what is the difference between respiratory acidosis and metabolic acidosis?

Answer: Respiratory acidosis has to do with the exchange of CO2. For whatever reason it may be (disease or lack of drive to breath), the CO2 builds up and causes the pH level to become acidotic. Metabolic acidosis has to do with the bicarb (HCO3). A decrease in the bicarb cause the pH to become acidotic. Metabolic acidosis is usually associated with failing kidneys.