Acid Base Balance Paper

Potassium works with sodium to regulate the body’s water balance. The kidneys help to control the blood pressure by controlling the amount of fluid stored in the body. Therefore, the more fluid then the higher the blood pressure is. The kidneys do this by filtering out the blood and extracting any extra fluid, which then is stored in the bladder as urine. This is done very delicately as both sodium and potassium pull the water across the wall of the cells from the bloodstream into a collecting channel that leads to the bladder. When eating to much salt, the amount of sodium in the bloodstream will be imbalanced compared to the amount of potassium and thus reducing the ability of the kidneys remove the extra fluid. Eating more fruit and vegetables, the potassium levels increase and can help restore the chemical imbalance. However, there is a possibility of too much potassium, also known as hyperkalemia, which can lead to other issues like renal failure.

1. ECF potassium levels affect resting membrane potential. Hyperkalemia (excessive levels of potassium in the blood) and hypokalemia (abnormally low blood potassium levels) both affect the function of nerves and muscles.

To start out this study the difference between acids and bases has to be identified. Acids have very low pHs and have a high concentration of hydronium ions, while bases have a high pH and have a high concentration of hydroxide ions. The difference between strong bases and acids, and weak bases and acids is the amount of dissociation. Strong bases and acids dissociate a large amount and let go of their ions in solution, while weak bases and acids may only let go of some of their ions. This is important because if the unknown solutions aren’t strong acids or bases then using their ions to calculate the pH of the solutions will give false results (Diffen 2012).

4. Why does potassium concentration rise in patients with acidosis? What is this called? What effects does it have?

Further complicating the diagnosis and treatment can be a mixed picture of both HHS and DKA. This occurs in both type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. In this case treatment is balanced between correcting the metabolic acidosis and lowering the osmolality of the blood. (Kearney T. & Dang, C., 2007)

The purpose of this virtual lab is to observe the acid-base balance in the urinary system by how PCO2 and blood pH affect the H+ and HCO3- in the urine. The renal compensation is a mechanism that shows the kidneys manage to change pH in correct way if the respiratory system is not healthy. The kidneys are two organs that help remove wastes and extra fluids out of the body. The acid-base balance is when the blood need to keep the balance of

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

The therapy ordered by the doctor for the patient includes 1000 mL of Dextrose 5% in 0.90% sodium chloride (normal saline), or D5NS, with 30 mEq of potassium chloride, KCl, at 125 ml/hr, which is a hypertonic tonicity. The D5NS restores fluid balance in the body due to fluid loss caused by hypernatremia or the elevation of sodium levels in the body. The potassium chloride will be used to manage hypokalemia. The dilution of the drug must be checked and rechecked due to the high concentration. The nurse should assess the patient hourly for symptoms of excessive losses of fluid, sodium, or potassium as well asks the patient if there is any burning or pain at the IV site. The order of 100 mL of albumin 25% draws fluid from the interstitial

Summary There are many disorders/diseases that lead to changes in acid base balance. These conditions are not rare or uncommon in clinical practice, but everyday occurrences on the ward or in critical care. Conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (bronchitis or emphasaemia), diabetic ketoacidosis,

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

Thus, a normal plasma sodium concentration of 142 mEq/mL actually represents a concentration in the physiologically important plasma water of 154 mEq/L (142 ÷ 0.93 = 154). The plasma water fraction may fall below 80% in patients with marked hyperlipidemia (e.g., lactescent serum in uncontrolled diabetes mellitus) or hyperproteinemia (e.g., multiple myeloma). In these settings, the plasma water sodium concentration and plasma osmolality are unchanged, but the measured sodium concentration in the total plasma volume will be reduced because the specimen contains less plasma water. Most laboratories measure sodium activity with ion-selective electrodes which do not measure actual sodium concentration. This can result in artefactually low sodium measurements when there are high levels of lipids or proteins in the blood; so-called

Potassium is an electrolyte of significant importance to normal functioning of the human body. Normal serum potassium levels range from 3.5 meq/L to 5.0 meq/L. When serum potassium levels fall below 3.0 meq/L the patient experiences symptoms which are life altering and life threatening. Thus, correction of hypokalemia requires immediate and efficient interventions to normalize serum potassium

If the pH is low and the HCO3 is low the patient has metabolic acidosis

The bodies balance between acidity and alkalinity is known as the ‘acid-base balance’. The blood's acid-base balance is precisely controlled because even a minor deviation from the normal range can severely affect many organs. The body uses different mechanisms to control the blood's acid-base balance. Effective management of the acid base balance in patients can be a very challenging task.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a complication that occurs in diabetic patients in the result of low insulin levels in the body. When the body does not have enough insulin in the body it begins to break down fats for energy which produces ketones. The existence of DKA in type 2 diabetics is frequently related to conditions of extreme stress. (Lin, Bishop, & Benito-Herrero, 2010). In this patient an acute infection is the cause of ketoacidosis. During an infection your body produces higher levels of hormones that may counter the effect of insulin which in return leads to low levels of insulin causing lipolysis and creating ketones. Therefore, infections in diabetics can trigger ketoacidosis.