Urinary Session 6 Flashcards
What ensures tight regulation of the narrow range of hydrogen ion concentration needed to control pH?
Kidney via variable recovery of HCO3- and active secretion of H+
Is alkalaemia or acidaemia more severe?
Alkalaemia
What happens in alkalaemia?
Calcium crystallises causing hypocalcaemia and thus increased neuronal excitability –> parasthesia and tetany
What causes respiratory alkalaemia?
Hyperventilation –> hypocapnia –> increased pH
What happens in acidaemia?
Increases plasma potassium concentration affecting RMP –> arrythmias
Denatures proteins –> deranged muscle contractility, glycolysis and hepatic function
What causes respiratory acidaemia?
Hypoventilation –> hypercapnia –> decreased pH
How are changes in pH detected by the body?
Peripheral chemoreceptors detect pCO2 and pH causing rapid but small effect
Central chemoreceptors detect pCO2 changes and take longer to come into effect but are responsible for 80% of effect
What is the normal range of blood pH?
7.35-7.45
What is the main site of HCO3- production?
Erythrocytes
What controls HCO3- concentration?
Kidneys
How do the kidneys keep pH stable?
Compensate for changes in HCO3- concentration to keep [HCO3-]/[CO2] constant
What is the kidney reaction to respiratory alkalaemia?
Decrease [HCO3-]
Why is kidney control of [HCO3-] in respiratory alkalosis/acidosis correction as opposed to control?
Primary cause has not been altered
What happens when a decrease in pH is detected by peripheral chemoreceptors?
Stimulates respiratory neurones in medulla –> increases ventilation to decrease pCO2 –> shifts eqm to correct pH
What causes decreased [HCO3-] in metabolic acidosis?
Acid from tissues reacting with and thus removing HCO3-
Why does increasing ventilation compensate for metabolic acidosis?
Removes additional carbon dioxide which is formed due to reaction of acid from tissues and HCO3-
How does repeated vomiting lead to an increase in pH?
Loss of H+ –> increased H+ production for replacement –> increased HCO3- as a by product
What detects the decrease in pH seen in metabolic alkalosis?
Peripheral chemoreceptors
What can metabolic alkalaemia only be partially compensated for by decreasing ventilation?
Risk of hypoxia
What corrects metabolic driven changes in pH?
Kidneys
How can the kidneys decrease [HCO3-]?
Easily by not recovering all that is filtered
What must the kidney do in order to increase [HCO3-]?
Recover all filtered HCO3- and make new HCO3-
How does the kidney make new HCO3-?
Due to high metabolic rate produce lots of CO2 which reacts with water to form HCO3- which moves into the plasma
How can amino acids be used to make HCO3-?
a.a. –> HCO3- + NH4 + alpha-ketoglutarate