As the acidosis worsens, people begin to feel extremely weak and drowsy and may feel confused and increasingly nauseated. Eventually, in severe cases, heart problems may develop and blood pressure can fall, leading to shock, coma, and death.
Drowsiness may progress to stupor and coma as the oxygen in the blood becomes inadequate. Stupor and coma can develop within moments if breathing stops or is severely impaired, or over hours if breathing is less dramatically impaired. The diagnosis of acidosis generally requires the measurement of blood pH and carbon dioxide in a sample of arterial blood, usually taken from the radial artery in the wrist. To learn more about the cause of the acidosis, doctors also measure the levels of bicarbonate in the blood.
Additional blood tests are then done to help determine the specific cause. Almost always, treatment of acidosis is directed at reversing the cause. Doctors rarely simply give alkaline drugs, such as bicarbonate, to reverse the acidosis. In metabolic acidosis, treatment depends primarily on the cause. For instance, treatment may be needed to control diabetes with insulin or to remove the toxic substance from the blood in cases of poisoning. In respiratory acidosis, treatment aims at improving the function of the lungs.
Drugs that open the airways bronchodilators, such as albuterol may help people who have lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Sedation due to drugs and other substances can sometimes be reversed by antidotes. People who have severely impaired breathing or lung function, for whatever reason, may need mechanical ventilation Mechanical Ventilation Mechanical ventilation is use of a machine to aid the movement of air into and out of the lungs.
Some people with respiratory failure need a mechanical ventilator a machine that helps air get Severe acidosis may also be treated directly when it does not respond to efforts to treat the cause. In such cases, bicarbonate may be given intravenously. However, bicarbonate provides only temporary relief and may cause harm—for instance, by overloading the body with sodium and water.
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The Manual was first published in as a service to the community. Learn more about our commitment to Global Medical Knowledge. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Common Health Topics. For people with metabolic acidosis, making changes in what they eat may help. For example, eating plant-based protein instead of animal-based protein may keep acid levels lower. Always talk to your doctor before you make any changes to your diet. Your doctor may also recommend that you see a registered dietician who can help create a specific nutritional plan just for you.
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Donate Now. Give Monthly Give In Honor. People who live with metabolic acidosis cope with their condition in many ways. Select the category that best fits you Please select response On dialysis Not on dialysis Transplant recipient I'm not sure. Some people may not experience any symptoms of metabolic acidosis. In those who do, the possible symptoms include:. Kidney disease or kidney failure can cause metabolic acidosis. In these cases, doctors often refer to the condition as renal tubular acidosis.
The roles of the kidneys include the removal of excess acid, which passes out of the body through urine. If there is a problem with the kidneys, these organs are unable to remove acid effectively from the body. The kidneys also help keep bicarbonate levels stable in the body. People need a certain amount of this molecule in the blood to keep the body healthy. One sign of metabolic acidosis is low levels of bicarbonate in the bloodstream, which indicate that the blood is more acidic.
Respiratory acidosis happens when the body is unable to remove enough carbon dioxide, which then builds up in the body, increasing acid levels in the blood.
Some foods and drinks can increase acidity in the body. It is not the pH of the food or drink that determines whether this occurs but how the food affects the balance between acid and alkaline levels once inside the body.
According to a review of acidosis , the average diet of people in the United States produces acid in the body. In many cases, a diet is acidic due to high levels of:.
People more at risk of developing respiratory acidosis include those:. Complications of other types of acidosis also include osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can develop because if the kidneys and lungs are unable to get rid of excess acid, the body starts to take calcium from the bones. The body then uses this calcium to neutralize the acid.
A study looked at the link between diet-induced acidosis and cancer. Research has identified a possible association between higher levels of acidity in the body and cancer. A long-term diet of acid-forming foods, such as salt and animal protein, can increase acidity in the body.
Although there is not yet enough evidence to determine whether diet-induced acidosis alone could increase the risk of cancer, it may play a part alongside other risk factors, such as obesity.
Researchers need further evidence to support these findings. Bicarbonate is an alkaline, which is the opposite of an acid. Bicarbonate can help balance the acid in the blood. A small amount of research has found that sodium bicarbonate or sodium citrate pills may help prevent kidney disease from worsening.
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