metabolic acidosis symptoms, causes, and diagnosis

metabolic acidosis symptoms, causes, and diagnosis

metabolic acidosis symptoms, causes, and diagnosis

Metabolic acidosis is excessive blood acidity, which is characterized by low levels of bicarbonate in the blood.

When increasing acidity beyond pH buffer system, the blood will actually become acidic.

Along with the decrease in blood pH, breathing becomes deeper and faster as the body attempts to reduce excess acid in the blood by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide.

In the end, the kidneys also try to compensate for this situation by issuing more acid in the urine.

But both mechanisms could be exceeded if the body continually produces too much acid, resulting in severe acidosis and coma ending with.

CAUSE

Cause of metabolic acidosis can be grouped into 3 main groups:

   1. The amount of acid in the body can be increased if taking an acid or a substance that is converted into acid.

      Most of the material that causes acidosis is considered toxic when eaten.

      Examples are methanol (wood alcohol) and an anti-freeze (ethylene glycol).

      Overdose of aspirin can cause metabolic acidosis.

   2. Body can produce more acid through metabolism.

      Body can produce excessive acid as a result of some disease; One of them is diabetes mellitus type I.

      If diabetes is not controlled properly, the body will break down fat and produces acids called ketones.

      Excessive acid is also found in an advanced stage of shock, where lactic acid is formed from the metabolism of sugar.

   3. Metabolic acidosis can occur if the kidneys are unable to remove the acids in the proper amount.

      Even the amount of acid that can cause acidosis normalpun if the kidneys are not functioning normally.

      Renal dysfunction is known as renal tubular acidosis, which can occur in patients with renal failure or patients with disorders that affect the kidneys' ability to dispose of acid.

The primary cause of metabolic asidois:

# Kidney failure

# Renal tubular acidosis (renal deformities)

# Diabetic Ketoacidosis

# Lactic acidosis (increased lactic acid)

# Toxic materials such as ethylene glycol, an overdose of salicylate, methanol, paraldehyde, or ammonium chloride asetazolamid

# Losing bases (eg bicarbonate) through the digestive tract due to diarrhea, ileostomy or colostomy.

SYMPTOMS

Mild metabolic acidosis may not cause symptoms, but sufferers usually experience nausea, vomiting and fatigue.

Breathing becomes deeper or a little faster, but most people do not pay attention to this.

In line with worsening acidosis, the patient began to experience tremendous fatigue, drowsiness, nausea and experiencing the confusion.

If acidosis worsens, blood pressure can drop, causing shock, coma and death.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is usually made based on the results of acidosis blood pH measurements were taken from arterial blood (radial artery in the wrist).

Arterial blood is used as an example as inaccurate venous blood to measure blood pH.

To determine the cause, measurement of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate levels in the blood.

It may take additional tests to help determine the cause.

For example, high blood sugar levels and the presence of ketones in the urine usually indicate an uncontrolled diabetes.

Presence of toxic materials in the blood indicate that metabolic acidosis is caused by poisoning or overdose.

Sometimes done by microscopic examination of the urine and the urine pH measurement.

TREATMENT

Treatment depends on the cause of metabolic acidosis.

For example, diabetes is controlled with insulin or poisoning solved by removing the toxic substances from the blood.

Sometimes need dialysis to treat severe overdose or poisoning.

Metabolic acidosis can also be treated directly.

When mild acidosis, which required only intravenous fluids and treatment of the cause.

In the event of severe acidosis, bicarbonate may be given intravenously; however bicarbonate only provide temporary relief and may be dangerous.