Acid-Base Balance Lab

1a. Pathophysiology is a key factor in understanding how the body works. One aspect where it is very important is pH disturbances of the body. Respiratory alkalosis is when there is a commotion in the pH balance when there is alveolar hyperventilation in the lungs. This in return can cause a decline in pressure of carbon dioxide causing an increase in bicarbonate. In return the pH level increases. Respiratory acidosis is a pH balance disturbance that occurs in response to alveolar hypoventilation. As carbon dioxide is produced ventilation failure increases the pressure of carbon dioxide. After this happens the pH level decreases. Metabolic alkalosis is an increase in the body’s amount of bicarbonate. When the body loses too much hydrogen from the body, and/or retains too much bicarbonate, this issue can occur. Metabolic acidosis is an occurrence during which there is an increase in acids or a decrease in bicarbonate.

For example, when a person is hyperventilating, the respiratory system responds immediately to change in the patient’s acid-base status. The patient’s depth and respiratory rate will increase in efforts to lose excess carbon dioxide. Once the ECF levels of carbon dioxide and the free hydrogen decrease, the lungs can fully compensate, and the PH will return to reference range. Kidney compensation is an attempt by the kidneys to regulate the overall level of acidity, or pH, of blood. The renal system will kick in if the respiratory system is not enough to correct the problem. It can take several days for the renal compensation to kick in and stabilize the pH. If the kidneys cannot maintain the desired value if the underlying cause of the problem is not addressed. The kidney can absorb more acids, bases or bicarbonate as needed to keep the body at homeostasis (Ignatavicius, 2013, p.

Acidosis occurs with a blood ph balance becomes less than 7.35 and cellular injury occurs in addition hyperglycaemia accompanies osmotic diuresis as the kidneys cannot absorb the glucose and its leaked into urine causing water to move by osmosis from blood to urine resulting in electrolyte loss of salt and water causing dehydration.

Due to the lack of insulin patients with type I diabetes are unable to use glucose as their primary energy source, as a result their body switches to fat metabolism as its source of energy. As a result acidic ketones are produced as metabolic byproduct, this can be directly detected as a decrease in pH on ABG analysis. Patients with moderate to severe DKA have a blood pH ranging from 6.9-7.2, lowered bicarbonate levels and a carbon dioxide partial pressure in the rage of 15-20mmHg. The the cause of our patient her partial pressure of carbon dioxide was 15mmHg, bicarbonate was low and a blood pH of 7.14, these values suggest that the patient has metabolic acidosis and that the diagnosis of DKA is likely correct. While ABG analysis can be used to diagnose DKA several studies suggest that the ABG test results rarely effect a physicians diagnosis, treatment and management of the condition (3). In addition the same studies have shown that the pH venous of venous blood was precise enough to serve as a substitute to arterial pH analysis and is less painful for the patient

High pH is alkalosis, low pH is acidosis.. Next you look at carbon dioxide and bicarbonate. Bicarbonate will go the same way as pH. So if the pH is high then the bicarbonate will be up, if the pH is low then the bicarbonate will be low. Carbon dioxide is the opposite. If the pH is high then the carbon dioxide is low, if the ph is low then the carbon dioxide is high ( Fournier, 2011).

When the body undergoes acidosis, meaning the pH drops below 7.35 it is trying to get rid of hydrogen ions by pumping them into the intracellular fluid while compensating by pumping potassium into the extracellular fluid (McCance, Huether, Brashers, & Rote, 2014). If too much potassium is released into the extracellular fluid this can

Our bodies work in incredible and various ways. Especially when our body is affected by imbalances in our pH. PH is the concentration of hydrogen ions in the blood. Solutions with a high concentration of H+ have a low pH, unlike solutions with a low concentration of H+ have a high pH. The normal pH is between 7.35-7.45. Anything else that ranges either below 7.35 or above 7.45 is abnormal. With this being said, the pH tells you whether the person is in acidosis (pH < 7.35) or alkalosis (pH > 7.45). If the human body is too acidic/alakalitic, the body must expend energy to compensate for this; energy that would be better served in other areas of the body. This is known as homeostasis, a characteristic system that regulates its internal environment and tends to keep things constant. A good way of sustaining pH homeostasis is through a short term mechanism called chemical buffer system, which are bicarbonate, phosphate, and protein buffer systems. Buffer systems solution resists changes to its pH when a strong acid or base is added. Another system that manages severe changes of pH is the

pH level is what determines the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. It refers to the amount of Hydrogen ions in the solution. In this case, hemoglobin. The normal pH level in hemoglobin is 7.2 - 7.4. (S. Hudon-Miller, 2012). A low pH level will have a higher number of Hydrogen ions which will make it acidic, and a high pH level will have a lower number of Hydrogen ions which will make it alkaline. Carbon dioxide is produced in the Citric Acid Cycle, and when CO2 combines with H2O it makes carbonic acid. CO2 is the acidic part of our blood. Many of our cells produce CO2, and as it is toxic to our bodies, we must have a way to get it out of our bodies which is normally exhaled through the lungs. We breathe in O2 and breathe out CO2. Now, just as the blood is carrying O2 throughout our bodies, it is also carrying CO2 to our lungs to be expelled. The more CO2 in our blood, the lower the pH level and the higher the acidity. As this happens, CO2 binds to the blood cell decreasing the blood cells ability to bind with O2. The CO2 and O2 compete to bind to the blood cell. This called the Bohr effect. (Wikipedia,

In this essay I will be discussing four conditions: respiratory acidosis, respiratory alkalosis, metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis. I will be defining each condition by including the levels of PCO2 or HCO3- and the pH levels, common causes for each condition, the compensatory mechanism for each condition, treatment mechanisms for each condition, and how older age may compromise the acid-base balance processes.

Homeostasis of the pH levels in the body is very important to the overall survival rate of human. Secondary to the brain and heart, the arterial blood pH is one of the most critical levels that must be maintained in order to avoid serious complications including death. Four conditions that can be associated with an abnormal arterial blood pH level are respiratory acidosis, respiratory alkalosis, metabolic acidosis, and metabolic alkalosis. The body has natural compensatory mechanisms in place to regulate the arterial blood pH balance, however if they fail to regulate the pH level there are other treatment options available. Many factors can affect the acid-base balance such as gender, body size, environmental temperatures, lifestyle choices, and age. The elderly is at a higher risk of acid-base imbalances, especially the arterial blood pH levels. The normal pH level for arterial blood is between 7.35-7.45, which is slightly alkaline. If a pH of 7 is considered neutral, then if the pH level is greater than 7, it is more alkaline, and if it is less than 7, it is more acidic. Since the pH range for arterial blood has such as small window, it is very important for the other organs and fluids to fluctuate in their range in order to maintain homeostasis. Arterial blood pH must remain within the range of 7.35 and 7.45 to ensure that there is an adequate amount of oxygen in the blood and within the cells ("pH balance," n.d.). If the level drops under 7.35, this indicates acidosis

Acid-base imbalances can be overcome by the buffer system. This alters the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood. For example, if the blood PH drops too low, the body will compensate by increasing breathing, therefore expelling carbon dioxide resulting in the PH level increasing.

The normal blood pH varies between 7.35 and 7.45. Kidneys, lungs and chemical systems known as buffers are responsible for the regulation of the homeostasis of acid-base balance. In case of a rise in blood pH, the buffers release hydrogen ions, and bind the hydrogen ions when the pH drops. The carbonic acid-bicarbonate system is one of the major buffer systems. Carbonic acid is known to dissociate reversibly, releasing protons and bicarbonate ions. When there is a rise or drop in blood pH, ions are added to or removed from the blood. A rise in the blood pH would mean that there is additional of a strong base in the blood, making it more alkaline as more carbonic acid is forced to dissociate On the other hand, a drop in the blood’s pH level means that there is more acid in the blood. The bicarbonate ions here begin to bind with protons. It can be noted from both cases that in the absence of the buffering system, changes in blood pH would be much

In respiratory acidosis, there is a characteristic PCO2 level of above 45 mmHg and a pH below 7.35. Common causes for this condition include: diseases of the airways (such as asthma and emphysema), diseases of the chest (such as scoliosis), pulmonary edema, severe obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, and other diseases that compromise the muscles and nerves used to promote inhalation and exhalation (Medline Plus,

In the PCO2 in the respiratory acidosis is when the blood has too much acidic. Also the abnormal for when the PCO2 the blood is 45 mmHg. Also, the carbon dioxide is low in the blood Respiratory acidosis is where the lungs cannot remove carbon dioxide the body make. In respiratory alkalemic is a low-level cardon dioxide that in the blood. ( Medlineplus, 2014) The PaCO2 in the respriatory alkalemic is where the level is low. Also, it increase the PH level in the respriatory alkalemic. Also, PH, pCO2, HCO3 can use venous blood gas sample instead of arterial blood gas samples. (Medlineplus,

Normal arterial blood pH is between 7.35 and 7.45 when respiratory acidosis is in affect your pH level would be lower than 7.35.