Acidosis and Akalosis

Respiratory acidosis occurs when the rate of oxygen eliminated from the body fluids via the lungs drops this causes the concentration of carbon dioxide to increase in the body fluid. This increases the concentration of hydrogen to increase in turn this causes the decrease of the pH in the body fluids to drop below 7.35. This causes respiratory acidosis. Respiratory acidosis is usually a symptom of an underlying condition such as asthma, COPD, pneumonia, obesity, or sleep apnea. Signs and symptoms include (acute) headache, anxiety, restlessness, confusion, and blurred vision. (Chronic) memory loss, sleep

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

Normally, arterial PaCO2 increases by 0.5-0.7 mm Hg for every 1 mEq/L increase in plasma bicarbonate concentration, a compensatory response that is very quick. If the change in PaCO2 is not within this range, then a mixed acid-base disturbance occurs. For example, if the increase in PaCO2 is more than 0.7 times the increase in bicarbonate, then metabolic alkalosis coexists with primary respiratory acidosis. Likewise, if the increase in PaCO2 is less than the expected change, then a primary respiratory alkalosis is also present.

Respiratory acidosis is when the lungs are unable to remove the normal amount of carbon dioxide as the body produces it. This leads to an increase in PaCO2 (hypercapnia) which lowers HCO3. The blood becomes too acidic because of the excess amount of CO2. The average range for PaCO2 is 35-45m Hg. Respiratory acidosis is caused by an issue with the lungs ability to remove CO2 properly, a form of lung disease. Most causes are asthma, neuromuscular disorders, obesity and COPD. The lungs and the kidneys regulate the body’s pH. Lungs remove CO2 and the kidneys remove acid through the urine. Treatment would include bronchodilator drugs to open airways, oxygen therapy and a breathing machine might be prescribed. A person that is much older is more likely to develop this type of disease since the strength of the kidneys and lungs has weekend with age. Also certain medications can affect the pH balance of the body.

The normal pH of a person’s body is 7.0. Once a person’s physiological blood pH change to 7.25, this can result in many different things. Once could be exercising. When we exercise, our heart rate, blood pressure, and cardiac output will all increase. The blood flow to the heart will increase also. When we exercise, this increases our body’s metabolism and we start to produce CO2. When we start to breathe faster, and we start to supply more oxygen required than our body may needs. As we develop a long-term habit of exercise, our cardiac output and lung capacity increase, even when we are at rest, so that we can exercise longer and harder than before. Over time, the amount of muscle in the body increases, and fat is burned as its energy is needed

If the levels of ketone bodies (acetoacetic acid and β-hydroxybutyrate acid) are allowed to increase, their acidic nature lowers the blood pH (low pH = high amount of acid) and hence the result is diabetic ketoacidosis. The bicarbonate/carbonic acid buffer prevents a large drop in blood pH, but even a drop of 0.3 to 0.5 pH units is sufficient to decrease the sodium concentration. A decrease of sodium ions in the interstitial fluid draws out potassium ions from the cells, which leads to impaired brain function and coma. High levels of ketone bodies and glucose in the blood also draws water out of cells. As glucose passes through the kidneys and into the urine, water follows and causes osmotic diuresis, resulting in dehydration. The classical symptom in patients with poorly controlled diabetes is the fruity smell on the breath. This is due to the volatile ketone body acetone. Other symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis is frequent urination, and increased thirst due to water

There are four different types of metabolic acidosis: ketoacidosis, lactic acidosis, renal tubular acidosis, and hyperchloremic acidosis. Ketoacidosis occurs when one has diabetes and does not get enough insulin and gets dehydrated, the body burns fat instead of carbs as fuel, and that produces ketones. Lots of ketones in the blood will turn the blood acidic; people who drink a lot of alcohol for a long period of time and does not eat enough also build up ketones. It can also occur when one does not eat at all. Lactic acidosis occurs when there is too much lactic acid within the body. Lactic acid is produced when the cells within the body do not have a lot of oxygen to

leads to acidemia, blood pH is low (less than 7.35) due to increased production of hydrogen ions

Acidosis occurs when the body fluids contain too much acid. Acidosis happens when the kidneys and lungs are unable to keep the body’s pH at balance. The pH of our blood should be around 7.4 and should not be more acidic than that. Respiratory acidosis can occur when there is a buildup of carbon dioxide in the body. This may happen due to conditions such as asthma, injury to the chest, obesity, overuse of alcohol or problems with the nervous system. Metabolic acidosis can also occur when the kidneys are unable to eliminate acids, resulting in too much acid in the body. There are 3 types of kidney acidosis, which includes diabetic acidosis, hyperchloremic acidosis and lactic acidosis. What can be done would be to change one’s diet to reduce the

While the lungs cannot remove the overwhelming amount of carbon dioxide in the body during respiratory acidosis this causes most bodily fluids including the pH of the blood to decrease, making them acidic. The body is usually able to level the ions that control acidity. The level can be counted on a scale of 14. Acidosis happens when the blood streams pH levels fall below 7.35, the normal level is between 7.35 and 7.45. Respiratory acidosis, also known as respiratory failure or ventilatory failure, is started by an underlying condition or disease.

Carbonic acid–bicarbonate buffer system; here CO2 (carbon dioxide) binds with H2O (water) to form H2CO3 (carbonic acid). Carbonic acid breaks down to form hydrogen ion (H+) and bicarbonate (HCO3-). Breathing rapidly removes excess of CO2 from the system and this will rise the blood pH. Breathing impaired will retain excess CO2 in the blood which will reduce the pH.

Many conditions result if blood pH is not maintained. If the pH of the blood becomes too acidic

Acid–base imbalances that overcome the buffer system can be compensated in the short term by changing the rate of ventilation. This alters the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood, shifting the above reaction according to Le Chatelier's principle, which in turn alters the pH. For instance, if the blood pH drops too low (acidemia), the body will compensate by increasing breathing thereby expelling CO2, and shifting the above reaction to the left such that fewer hydrogen ions are free; thus the pH will rise back to normal. For alkalemia, the opposite occurs.

Normal metabolism produces hydrogen in the form of acids; to maintain the pH of the blood the acids are buffered or removed from the body. A buffer works in a pair, a weak acid is activated when the pH is at risk from a strong base/ a weak base is activated when the pH is at risk from a strong acid. Whenever the buffer reaction is carried out the concentration of one of the pairs increases while the

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,