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Metabolic alkalosis is an acid-base disorder in which the pH of tissue is elevated beyond the normal range (7.35–7.45). This is the result of decreased hydrogen ion concentration, leading to increased bicarbonate ( HCO − 3 ), or alternatively a direct result of increased bicarbonate concentrations.
One difficulty in evaluation acid-base derangements is the presence of multiple pathologies. A patient may present with a metabolic acidosis process alone, but they may also have a concomitant respiratory acidosis. Winters's formula gives an expected value for the patient's P CO 2; the patient's actual (measured) P CO 2 is then compared to this ...
Alkalosis is the result of a process reducing hydrogen ion concentration of arterial blood plasma (alkalemia).In contrast to acidemia (serum pH 7.35 or lower), alkalemia occurs when the serum pH is higher than normal (7.45 or higher).
The use of acidosis for a low pH creates an ambiguity in its meaning. The difference is important where a patient has factors causing both acidosis and alkalosis, wherein the relative severity of both determines whether the result is a high, low, or normal pH. [citation needed] Alkalemia occurs at a pH over 7.45.
Diagnosis of contraction alkalosis is made by correlating laboratory data with clinical history and examination. Metabolic alkalosis in the presence of decreased effective circulatory volume, loop diuretic use, or other causes of intravascular depletion such as profound diarrhea should raise suspicion for contraction alkalosis as a likely etiology in the absence of other causes.
The normal range for pH is 7.35–7.45. As the pH decreases (< 7.35), it implies acidosis, while if the pH increases (> 7.45) it implies alkalosis. In the context of arterial blood gases, the most common occurrence will be that of respiratory acidosis. Carbon dioxide is dissolved in the blood as carbonic acid, a weak acid; however, in large ...
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Metabolic acidosis can lead to acidemia, which is defined as arterial blood pH that is lower than 7.35. [6] Acidemia and acidosis are not mutually exclusive – pH and hydrogen ion concentrations also depend on the coexistence of other acid-base disorders; therefore, pH levels in people with metabolic acidosis can range from low to high.