Acid-Base Disturbances and the Body's Response
Acid-Base Disturbances and the Body's Response
|
Primary Disturbance |
Example |
Initial Blood pH |
Compensatory Mechanism |
Compensatory Change in Blood pH |
|
Metabolic acidosis |
Increased acid production due to diabetic ketoacidosis |
Too low |
Increased breathing rate to expel carbon dioxide |
Increases back toward normal |
|
Respiratory acidosis |
Decreased ability to breathe due to severe chronic lung disease |
Too low |
Increased excretion of acid in the urine |
Increases back toward normal |
|
Metabolic alkalosis |
Loss of stomach acid due to vomiting |
Too high |
Decreased breathing rate to retain carbon dioxide |
Decreases back toward normal |
|
Respiratory alkalosis |
Hyperventilation due to anxiety |
Too high |
Increased excretion of alkali in the urine |
Decreases back toward normal |