S5) Acid Base Balance Flashcards
What is alkalaemia?
Alkalaemia is a plasma pH greater than 7.45
What is acidaemia?
Acidaemia is a plasma pH less than 7.35
Which conditions can arise from alkalaemia?
- Paraesthesia
- Tetany
Why does alkalaemia lead to paraesthesia and tetany?
- Free calcium is lowered by causing Ca2+ to come out of solution
- This increases neuronal excitability
Describe the mortality associated with alkalaemia
- 45% mortality - pH rises to 7.55
- 80% mortality - pH rises to 7.65
Describe the effect of acidaemia on excitability in the body
- Increases plasma [K+]
- Affects excitability (particularly cardiac muscle) which causes arrhythmias
Describe the effect of acidaemia on enzymes
- Increasing [H+] affects many enzymes and denatures proteins
- This affects muscle contractility, glycolysis, hepatic function
Describe the mortality associated with acidaemia
- Severe effects – below pH 7.1
- Life threatening – below pH 7.0
pCO2 is determined by respiration.
Identify the factors which disturb and control pCO2
- Controlled by chemoreceptors
- Disturbed by respiratory disease
[HCO3-] is determined by the kidneys.
Identify the factors which disturb and control [HCO3-]
- Controlled by the kidney
- Disturbed by metabolic and renal disease
Why does metabolic acid not deplete hydrogen carbonate?
- The kidneys recover all filtered HCO3-
- PCT makes HCO3- from AA, putting NH4+ into urine
- DCT makes HCO3- from CO2 and H2O (H+ is buffered by phosphate and ammonia in the urine)
Describe the renal control of hydrogen carbonate
- HCO3- filtered at the glomerulus & recovered in PCT
- H+ excretion linked to Na+ entry in PCT
- H+ reacts with HCO3- (lumen) to form CO2 which enters cell and is converted back to HCO3- which enters ECF
Describe the role of glutamine in the creation of hydrogen carbonate in th PCT
- Glutamine breaks down and forms α-ketoglutarate
- HCO3- and ammonium are produced
- HCO3- enters ECF and NH4+ enters lumen (urine)
Describe the renal control of hydrogen carbonate in the distal tubule and collecting duct
- DCT and CD also actively secrete H+
- H+ buffered by ammonia and phosphate to produce NH4+ and H2PO4- which are excreted
- HCO3- now can enter plasma
Excretion of ammonium is the major adaptive response to an increased acid load.
Describe the role of ammonium in the renal control of HCO3-
NH4+ ⇒ NH3 + H+
- NH3 freely moves into lumen and throughout interstitium
- H+ actively pumped into lumen in DCT and CT
- H+ combines with NH3 to form NH4+ (trapped in lumen)
What is the pH of urine?
The minimum pH of urine is 4.5
How much acid is secreted per day and why?
- Total acid excretion = 50 – 100mmol H+ per day
- Needed to keep normal [HCO3-]
Explain how acidosis leads to hyperkalaemia
- K+ move out of cells
- Decreased K+ excretion in distal nephron
Explain how alkalosis leads to hypokalaemia
- K+ move into cells
- Enhanced excretion of K+ in distal nephron
Explain how hyperkalaemia can lead to metabolic acidosis
- Hyperkalaemia makes pHi of tubular cells more alkaline
- H+ move out of the cells which favours HCO3- excretion
Explain how hypokalaemia can lead to metabolic alkalosis
- Hypokalaemia makes pHi of tubular cells more acidic
- H+ move into the cells which favours H+ excretion and HCO3- recovery
How does hypoventilation lead to respiratory acidosis (acidaemia)?
- Hypoventilation → hypercapnia (pCO2 rises)
- Hypercapnia → fall in plasma pH
Identify 3 factors which characterise respiratory acidosis
- High pCO2
- Normal HCO3-
- Low pH
How does hyperventilation lead to respiratory alkalosis (alkalaemia)?
- Hyperventilation → hypocapnia (fall in pCO2)
- Hypocapnia → rise in pH