Hydrogen Ions Within A Patients Blood

Because the PCO2 levels are too high the body is not getting the adequate amount of oxygen. This means the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin is not working properly do to the excessive amounts carbon dioxide causing respiratory acidosis.

Respiratory acidosis is a condition that occurs when the lungs cannot remove all the carbon dioxide the body produces. This causes body fluids, especially the blood, to become too acidic. Chronic respiratory acidosis occurs over a long period of time, this leads to a stable situation, because the kidneys increase body chemicals, such as bicarbonate, that help restore the body’s acid-base balance. Acute respiratory acidosis is a condition in which carbon dioxide builds up quickly, before the kidneys can return the body to a state of balance. Some of the symptoms may include: confusion, fatigue, lethargy, shortness of breath, and sleepiness. Some causes of

The normal blood pH is between 7.35 and 7.45. Allen’s blood was acidotic due to a decrease in lung expansion and an alteration in the perfusion to his spinal cord. He also has an alteration in spinal innervation to the respiratory muscles including the phrenic nerve that controls the diaphragm. This would further cause Allen to not be able to adequately take in enough oxygen and blow off enough CO2 to adequately have gas exchange, within the alveoli. Respiratory failure.

The blood glucose level has very limited range for humans to survive and stay healthy. Generally, people are able to remove excess glucose rapidly from the body but this is not the case when they are diagnosed with diabetes and insulin resistant situations. The lack of insulin resistance can also lead to a decrease in glycogen synthesis and storage as it usually converts glucose to energy for cell’s use (Jensen & et al. 2011). When insulin is produced under insulin resistance, the cells are incapable of using them effectively which then leads to high blood sugar level as ketones and ketoacids are produced as an alternative energy source for the body. The rise of ketoacid causes the blood pH acidic and the patient may also be diagnosed with ketoacidosis (Newton & Raskin 2004). There would also be less intake of lipid and more of stored triglycerides as the lipids are effected by the insulin. As the glucose levels increase, the muscle glucose uptake will decrease while the liver glucose production and blood fatty acid concentration will also increase within the body (Lichtenstein & Schwab 2000). Excess glucose within the blood are converted to fat which can lead to Diabetic Dyslipidaemia and furthermore to obesity, hypertension and

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

Classic symptoms of diabetes usually presented with newly diagnosed diabetics are: hyperglycaemia, polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, fatigue, blurred vision, headaches, and unexplained weight loss. Ketone bodies are found in the urine, this abnormal finding occurs when fatty acid by-products (acetones) are excreted in the urine. The ketones are present from a lack of the insulin hormone used to metabolize fats and carbohydrates. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening complication which results from minimal useful insulin hormone in the body, hypoglycaemia, or insufficient food intake (American Diabetes Association, 2008).

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.

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 possible causes of this acid base imbalance are the vomiting and the overuse of antacids. As the name implies it is bicarbonate which has been added to the body. The vomiting reduces the extracellular fluid and this in turn leads to a release of angiotensin and aldersterone. This release then increases the bicarbonate absorption and increased hydrogen ion and potassium excreted. This patient may also have hypokalemia which is very common in metabolic alkalosis and would need to be replaced if it occurred ( Thomas, 2015). The respiratory rate would also slow to try and compensate for the alkalosis.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is defined as an acute metabolic disorder, which is characterized by an increased presence of circulating ketones, and the development of ketoacidosis in the presence of hyperglycemia. This syndrome occurs as a result of insulin deficiency. Patients can be dramatically ill, however, with aggressive treatment, most patients can recover rapidly. Despite being a low-risk condition, the development of acidosis, is one of the criteria to admit these patients to the intensive care unit (ICU) for close monitoring, and recognition of complications that could result from the use of

In hospitalised patient it is mostly occurs due to large doses of penicillin based drugs, causing severe Hypokalemia. As with metabolic acidosis, respiratory acidosis can affect the central nervous system. Resulting in headaches, confusion, apathy and motor disturbances such as

Acidosis that results from failure of the kidneys to perform this excretory function is known as metabolic acidosis. However, excretion by the kidneys is a relatively slow process, and may take too long to prevent acute acidosis resulting from a sudden decrease in pH, like when it occurs during exercise. The lungs provide a faster way to help control the pH of the blood. The increased breathing response to exercise helps to counteract the pH lowering effects by removing CO2 from the blood. Acidosis that results from failure of the lungs to eliminate CO2 as fast as it is produced is known as respiratory acidosis.

Metabolic acidosis results from all conditions that decrease the pH of the body fluids below 7.35 and HCO3- levels are <22 mEq/L, with the exception of conditions resulting from altered function of the respiratory system. As hydrogen ions accumulate in the body fluids, buffers first resist a decline in pH. If the buffers cannot compensate for the increase in hydrogen ions, the respiratory center helps regulate the body fluid pH. The reduced pH stimulates the respiratory center, which causes hyperventilation. During hyperventilation, carbon dioxide is eliminated at a greater rate. The elimination of carbon dioxide also eliminates excess hydrogen ions and helps maintain the pH of the body fluids within a normal range. (Angus, 2006)

The cause of acidosis in the body is when the kidneys and lungs do not maintain the balance (proper pH level) of chemicals called acids and bases. It can either occur when bicarbonate (a base) is lost or when acid builds up. Acidosis can be defined as either respiratory or metabolic. Too much carbon dioxide (an acid) in the body leads to respiratory acidosis. When the body gets into a situation where it is unable to remove enough carbon dioxide through breathing, it causes respiratory acidosis. This kind of acidosis is also called hyper-capnic acidosis and carbon dioxide acidosis and could be caused by: chest deformities, such as kyphosis, Chest injuries, chest muscle weakness, chronic lung disease and overuse of sedative drugs. The symptoms that can be caused by respiratory acidosis are confusion, fatigue, lethargy, shortness of breath, and sleepiness. Metabolic acidosis develops when too much acid is produced in the body. It can also occur when the kidneys cannot remove enough acid from the body. There are several types of metabolic acidosis: Hyperchloremic, Lactic and diabetic. Things that could cause acidosis are: Dehydration, Aspirin poisoning and kidney disease. Diabetic acidosis (also called diabetic ketoacidosis and DKA) develops when substances called ketone bodies (which are acidic) build up during uncontrolled diabetes. The symptoms of metabolic acidosis symptoms depend on the underlying disease or condition. The metabolic acidosis itself usually causes rapid

Metabolic alkalosis is seen by an increase in the concentration of plasma bicarbonate relative to the concentration of carbonic acid, which shifts the pH to the alkaline side of the physiologic range (case study- pH 7.5). The main causes of metabolic alkalosis are loss of gastric juice or