Acidosis/Alkalosis and Acid Base Balance Flashcards
What is normal PH?
7.35-7.45
What are the four acid bases imbalances?
Respiratory acidosis and alkalosis
Metabolic Acidosis and alkolosis
What is respiratory acidosis?
Decreased PH; Increased CO2
What is the cause for respiratory acidosis?
Elevation of PCO2 due to respiratory depression
How does the body try to compensate for respiratory acidosis?
Decreased ventilation, leads to rise in PCO2, leads to decreased PH, body tries to compensate by initiating renal compensation. HCO3 rises helps increase the excretion of H in the urine and PH rises.
What is Respiratory Alkalosis?
Increased PH; Decreased Co2
What causes Respiratory Alkalosis?
Increased ventilation (hyperventilation)
How does the body try to compensate for respiratory alkalosis?
Increased ventilation causes decrease in PCO2, Serum PH rises, body tries to compensate by initiating the renal system. Decreases the excretion of H in the urine and PH decreases.
What is metabolic Acidosis?
Decreased PH; Decreased HCO3
What causes metabolic Acidosis?
Depression of HCO3
How does the body try to compensate for metabolic acidosis?
Occurs from loss of base or addition of acid; Serum PH decreases; respiratory compensation and Renal compensation occur. Respiratory compensates by increasing respiratory rate; Renal compensates by increasing acid titration. Both mechanisms increase PH
What is metabolic Alkalosis?
High PH; High Hco3
Accumulation of base; raises the bicarbonate concentration; increases the pH aka: primary bicarbonate excess
How does the respiratory compensation mechanism work?
Rapid response. Increases of decreases ventilation rate to alter CO2 retention.
How does the renal compensation mechanism work?
Slower response; alters HCO3 and H levels by exretion or reasbsorption.
What is the difference between correction and compensation?
Adjustments are made to HCO3 and Carbonic Acid to maintain a 20:1 ratio to maintain normal PH.
Correction is when your acid base balance returns to normal.
Compensation is when the body alters the response to try to normalize the acid base balance.
What is the Anion Gap used for?
Used cautiously to distinguish between different types of metabolic acidosis.
The concentration of anions and cations should equal.
Na+K= Cl+ HCO3= ~ 10-12
What can cause a large anion gap?
Ketoacidosis; salicylate poisoining
What is a buffer?
A chemical that binds excessive H or OH- without a significant change in PH.
What buffer system does our body use for acid base balance?
Bicarbonate-carbonic acid system and hemoglobin
What are the most important intracellular buffers?
Phos and protien; ammonia and pho
Where does the Carbonic Bicarbonate buffer system operate?
In the lung and kidney
What happens when the partial pressure of carbon dioxide rises?
More Carbonic acid is formed.
If bicarb decreases what happens?
The ph decreases
What are other buffering systems our body uses?
Protien buffering
Mercury blood buffer
Renal buffering (Ammonia + H) excretes in urine
Cellular ion exchange (K+ for H)
What problems can cause metabolic acidosis?
Renal failure; DKA; diarrhea
What problems can cause metabolic alkalosis?
Prolonged vomiting; gastric suctioning; excessive bicarb intake; hyperaldosteronism w/ hypoK; and diuretics
What problems can cause respiratory acidosis?
Depression of respiratory drive; brain stem trauma; over sedation; paralysis of resp muscles; disorders of chest wall
What problems can cause Respiratory Alkalosis?
Fever; anemia; thrytoxicosis; early salicylate intoxication; anxiety; panic, improper use of ventilation
What are normal PCO2 levels?
35-45
What are normal HCO3 levels?
22-28
