Acid-Base Balance

Question 1

Acid

Answer 1

Gives off hydrogen ion when placed in solution

Question 2

Base

Answer 2

Accepts hydrogen ion in a solution

Bases can buffer acids

(bicarbonate ion (HCO3) is the primary buffer of the body

Question 3

Strong acid vs weak acid

Answer 3

Strong: completely ionize (separate) when placed in a solution

Weak: only partially ionizes in solution

Question 4

Volatile acid

Answer 4

Acid that can exist in form of gas

Regulated by lungs

CO2 is the only volatile acid in the body

Question 5

Nonvolatile acid

Answer 5

Do not exist in form of gas

This is all acids in body except CO2(bc its volatile)

These acids are regulated by the kidneys

Question 6

pH

Answer 6

Inverse logarithmic measure of hydrogen ion

⬆️ pH = ⬇️H+

⬇️pH = ⬆️H+

Question 7

Where are acids produced

Answer 7

Cells in out body during metabolic processes

CO2
H+

Question 8

Bodys buffer system to acids

Answer 8

Carbonic acid/ bicarbonate (primary system)
H+/K+ exchange

Question 9

CO2 way of transport

Answer 9

10% (dissolved in plasma as CO2)

70% (dissolved in plasma in form of bicarbonate(HCO3)

20% (bound to hemoglobin within the RBCs)

Question 10

CO2 dissolved in plasma 10%

Answer 10

Can be measured as volume or pressure

Question 11

CO2 carried in blood in form of HCO3-

Answer 11

This transformation of CO2 into HCO3- is called:

*Chloride shift

Question 12

CO2 carried in the RBC bound to the hemoglobin molecule

Answer 12

Not measurable bc its within RBCs

Hbg + CO2 = HbCO2

Question 13

Lungs role in acid-base balance

Answer 13

Regulates CO2 (volatile acid)

Compensation is rapid but cannot be sustained

Question 14

Kidneys role in acid-base balance

Answer 14

Eliminate H+
Conserve HCO3-

Compensation is slow but can be sustained for longer

Question 15

Carbonic Acid buffer system (just understand how it works)

Answer 15

H2O & CO2 — ca — H2CO3 — H+ and HCO3-

H2O and CO2 combine to make H2CO3 then a H+ gets seperated

Other way around the enzyme CA(carbonic anhydrase) seperates H2CO3 into H2O and CO2

Question 16

Law of Mass Action mean for the:
carbonic acid buffer system

Answer 16

The direction in which a reversible reaction proceeds is determined bu the concentrations of the reactants

Question 17

What pH work best for the carbonic acid buffer system

Answer 17

7.4
This is expressed thru:
Henderson-Hasselbach equation

Question 18

Henderson-Hasselbach equation

Answer 18

20/1
20 unit of base to 1 unit of acid

This equals pH 7.4

Question 19

PaCO2

Answer 19

Is a pressure measurement

Question 20

Serum lactate

Answer 20

⬆️ lactate levels indicates ⬆️ production of cellular lactic acid

Question 21

Anion Gap

Answer 21

Normally 12 but if it goes up it:

Helps us learn the cause of a metabolic acidosis

Question 22

Serum CO2 content
(Also called total CO2 or CO2 combining power)

Answer 22

Combination of the VOLUME of CO2 dissolved in the plasma assed to the serum bicarbonate

*different from the paCO2 test

Question 23

What does it make to have elevated anion gap and metabolic acidosis?

Answer 23

Excess organic acids:

Overproduction of acid by cells
Decreased renal elimination of acids
Intake of acids

Question 24

What causes the cell to overproduce acid?

Answer 24

Increased cell production of lactic acid (cell hypoxia)

Increased cell production of ketoacids:
*DM, starvation, low carb diet

Increased cell production of abnormal organic acids

Question 25

Interpreting the anion gap when its normal with metabolic acidosis

Answer 25

Indicated loss of bicarbonate

Causes:

Diarrhea

Renal tubular acidosis (cant conserve bicarb and excrete acids)

Use of parenteral nutrition