What is Acidosis/Alkalosis?
Acidosis/Alkalosis describes the abnormal conditions that result from an imbalance in the pH of blood caused by an excess of acid or alkali (base). This imbalance is typically caused by some underlying condition or disease.
Normal blood pH must be maintained within a narrow range of 7.35-7.45 to ensure a proper functioning of metabolic process and the delivery of the right amount of oxygen to tissues.
Acidosis refers to an excess of acid in the blood that cause the blood pH to fall below 7.35 while alkalosis refers to an excess of base in the blood that causes the blood pH to rise above 7.45.
Acidosis occurs when blood pH fall below 7.35 due to the following factors:
- Increase in acid production within the body.
- Decrease in acid excretion
- Consumption of substance that are metabolized to acid.
- Increase in the excretion of base.
Alkalosis occurs when blood pH Rises above 7.45 due to the following factors:
- Administration of base
- Hyperventilation (with increased excretion of acid in the from of C02).
- Electrolyte disturbance caused by prolonged vomiting or severe dehydration.
ACIDOSIS
Acidosis: Is a condition in which there is too much acid in the body fluids. It is the opposite of alkalosis (a condition in which there is too much base in the body fluid).
The kidney and lung’s maintain the balance (proper pH level) of chemical called acids and bases in the body.
Causes
Acidosis occurs when acid builds up or when bicarbonate (a based) is lost.
Acidosis is classified as either respiratory acidosis or metabolic acidosis. Respiratory acidosis develops when there is too much carbon dioxide (an acid) in the body. This type of acidosis is usually caused when the body is unable to remove enough carbon dioxide through breathing. Other names for respiratory acidosis are hypercapnic acidosis and carbon dioxide acidosis.
Causes of Respiratory Acidosis include:
- Chest deformities, such as kyphosis.
- Chest injuries
- Chromic lung disease
- Overuse of sedative drugs.
Symptoms
- Confusion
- Easy fatigue
- Lethargy
- Shortness of breath
- Sleepiness
Metabolic acidosis develop when too much acid is produced or the kidneys cannot remove enough acid from the body,
Types of Metabolic Acidosis include the following:
- Diabetic acidosis (also called diabetic ketoacidosis and DKA) which develops when substance called ketone bodies (which are acidic) build up during uncontrolled diabetics.
- Hypechloremic acidosis: It is caused by the loss of too much sodium bicarbonate from the body, which can happen with sever diarrhea.
- Lactic acidosis: It is a build up of lactic acid. This can be caused by, (i) Alcohol (ii) Cancer (iii) Exercising vigorously for a very long time (v) Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) (iv) Medications such as salicylates (vi) Melas (a rare genetic disorder that affects energy production) (vii) Prolonged lack of oxygen from shock heart failure, or severe anemia, seizures.
Other causes of metabolic Acidosis
- Kidney disease (distal renal tubular acidosis and proximal renal tubular acidosis).
- Poisoning by aspirin, ethylene glycol (found in antifreeze), or methanol.
- Severe dehydration.
Symptoms of Metabolic Acidosis
Most symptoms are caused by the underlying disease or condition that is causing the metabolic acidosis. Metabolic acidosis itself usually lead to rapid breathing. Confusion or lethargy may also occur; severe metabolic acidosis can lead to shock or death. In some situations, metabolic acidosis can be a mild, chronic longing condition.
Diseases and conditions
- Loss of memory
- Fight chronic
- Cancer of the kidney
- Digestive and liver disorder
- Urologmic
ALKALOSIS
Alkalosis is a condition in which the body fluids have excess base (alkali). This is the opposite of excess acid (acidosis).
The following are the major type of alkalisis
- Respiratory Alkalosis
- Metabolic alkalosis
The kidney and lungs maintain the proper balance of chemicals, called acids and bases, in the body.
Causes
Decreased carbon dioxide (an acid) or increased bicarbonate (a base) levels make the body too alkaline, a condition called alkalosis.
- Respiratory alkalosis: Respiratory alkalosis is caused by low carbon dioxide levels in the blood. This can be due to (i) Fever (ii) Being at a high altitude (iii) Lack of oxygen (iv) Liver disease (vi) Lung disease, which causes you to breathe faster (hyperventilate) (vii) Salicylate poisoning.
Symptoms of Respiratory Alkalosis
Low carbon dioxide levels in the blood is accompanied by respiratory alkalosis which will result to the following physical conditions:
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Feeling light-headed
- Muscle spasme in the hands and feet
- Tingling in the arms
Metabolic Alkalosis: Metabolic alkalosis is caused by too much bicarbonate in the blood.
Other sub-group of metabolic alkalosis includes the following:
i. Hypochloremic Alkalosis: It is caused by an extreme. Lack or loss of chloride, which can occur with prolonged vomiting.
ii. Hypokalemio Alkalosis: It is caused by the kidneys responds to an extreme lack or loss of potassium, which can occur when people take certain diuretic medications.
iii. Compensated Alkalosis: It is occurs when the body returns the acid-base balance to normal in cases of alkalosis, but bicarbonate and carbon dioxide levels remain abnormal. Fever hyperventilation too much bicarbonate in the blood, lack of oxygen are synonymous to compensated alkalosis.
Major Symptoms of Metabolic Alkalosis
- Confusion (can progress to stupor or coma)
- Hand tremor
- Light-headedness
- Muscle twitching
- Nausea, vomiting
Diseases and Condition of Alkalosis
- Osteoarthritis
- Zenkers diverticulum
- Medullary sponge kidney
- Thrush in mouth
- Prosopagnosis
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