Acid-Base Disorders Flashcards
What are arterial and intracellular pH
Arterial: 7.35-7.45
Intracellular: 7.0-7.3
Most important extracellular buffering system
Bicarbonate buffer. HCO3- (basic, raises pH) and CO2 (acidic, lowers pH)
Where is carbonic anhydrase present?
- Lung alveoli
- Renal tubular epithelial cells
What is the Henderson-Hasselbach equation?
pH=6.1 + log(HCO3/0.03xPCO2)
what organs alter the HH equation
Lungs
Kidneys
If one organ causes acidosis/alkalosis, the other organ will compensate
How do lungs regulate pH
Increase RR = blow off more CO2 = raise pH = alkalotic
Decrease RR = keep CO2 = lowers pH = acidodic
How do kidneys regulate pH
Excrete either an acidic or alkaline urine via either not reabsorbing HCO3 or secreting H+
What are the 4 kinds of acid-base disturbances?
Metabolic Acidosis (low HCO3) Metabolic Alkalosis (high HCO3) Respiratory Acidosis (high PCO2) Respiratory Alkalosis (low PCO2)
What are the 2 kinds of Met Ac
HAGMA
NAGMA (aka hyperchloremic)
What are the 2 kinds of Met Alk
- Saline Responsive (hypovolemia; aka contraction alkalosis or chloride deficiency alkalosis)
- Saline Non-Responsive (euvolemia or hypervolemia; rare)
How are acid-base disorders compensated?
- Met Ac –> Resp Alk (lower PCO2; hyperventilate)
- Met Alk –> Resp Ac (increase PCO2; hypoventilate)
- Resp Ac –> Met Alk (increase HCO3)
- Resp Ak –> Met Ac (decrease HCO3)
Normal ABG values?
pH= 7.35-7.44 HCO3= 24 mEq/L PCO2= 40 mmHg Anion Gap= 12 Osmolality Gap= 10 mosm/kg
Acute and Chronic compensation for respiratory acidosis
Acute: HCO3 increases by 1 mEq/L for every 10 mmHg increase in PCO2 from normal (40)
Chronic: HCO3 increases by 3.5 mEq/L for every 10 mmHg increase in PCO2 from normal (40)
Acute and Chronic compensation for respiratory alkalosis
Acute: HCO3 decrease by 2 mEq/L for every 10 mmHg decrease in PCO2 from normal (40)
Chronic: HCO3 decrease by 5 mEq/L for every 10 mmHg decrease in PCO2 from normal (40)
How many AB disturbances can be present at once
3
Step-wise approach to acid-base problems
- Determine if acidosis or alkalosis is present
- Is it metabolic or respiratory? (metabolic=high or low HCO3, respiraotry= high or low PCO2)
- If metabolic acidosis, determine anion gap
- Hypoalbunemia: calculate corrected anion gap
- HAGMA: calculate osmolar gap, consider delta-delta gap
- Calculate compensation (red green schematic) for primary acid-base disorder. If adequate, it is simple acid base disorder. If not, mixed acid base disorder.
What does anion gap tell you?
“show whether your blood has an imbalance of electrolytes or too much or not enough acid. Too much acid in the blood is called acidosis. If your blood does not have enough acid, you may have a condition called alkalosis.”
What are the cations?
Na+ K+ Ca+ Mg+ Protein + (not many)
What are the anions? What’s special about them?
Cl- HCO3- Protein- (albumin!) HPO4- SO4 2- Organic anions
They are buffered by H+ ions, which are buffered by HCO3-
How do you calculate anion gap and what’s the normal AG value?
AG= Na+ - (HCO3 + Cl)
Normal AG= 12+/- 2
How is AG used clinically i.e. what can it diagnose?
- Differentiate between etiologies of metabolic acidosis (HAGMA or NAGMA)
- Diagnose paraproteinemias (low AG)
- Diagnose lithium, bromide, or iodide intoxication (low or negative AG)
If a pt has HAGMA, what could you next calculate?
Could calculate osmolar gap to screen for alcohol ingestion, ketoacidosis, lactic acisosis.
If AG>20, what should you be highly suspicious for?
Alcohol ingestion!!!
What is the equation for calculated serum osmolality?
2(Na) + (glucose/18) + (BUN/2.8)
What is the equation for osmolar gap?
Osmolar gap=measured serum osmolality-calculated serum osmolality
What is a normal and abnormal osmolar gap and what does it indicate?
Normal gap is < 10mosm/kg
If >10mosm/kg, suggests additional solutes in blood
When would you want to calculate a delta-delta gap?
To see if a pt w/ HAGMA has a coexistent NAGMA or metabolic alkalosis