Metabolic Alkalosis and Respiratory Alkalosis - Medtick
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Metabolic Alkalosis and Respiratory Alkalosis

What is it?

Metabolic Alkalosis 

  • When one has too much bicarbonate in their blood leading to a high pH (beyond the normal range (7.35–7.45) in the blood making their blood too alkalis (opposite to acidic).
  • When one has too much or same levels as sodium , loss of potassium and hence loss of hydrogen ions (low hydrogen ions means more alkalis).

Respiratory Alkalosis

  • Person is breathing too fast and removing too much carbon dioxide, this cause the body to become alkalis as carbon dioxide helps to retain acid in the body.

Cause

  • Kidney disease where the kidney retains the bicarbonate and not excreted in urine
  • Volume depletion (loss of salt and water) in the cells (worst than dehydration)
  • Repeated Vomiting (loss of stomach acid and chloride)
  • Pyloric stenosis
  • Gastrointestinal fistula
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Hypokalemia
  • Hyperventilation (low carbon dioxide levels)- Breathing too fast
  • Using a ventilator to help with breathing
  • High altitudes
  • Anxiety
  • Pregnancy
  • Lung blood clot
  • Condition that increases Aldosterone (Conn’s syndrome, tumours on adrenal gland, causing excess renin secretion hyperaldosteronism- causing high blood pressure)
  • Conditions that increase mineralocorticoids:
    • Cushings syndrome
    • 11B-HSD deficiency
    • 11B hydroxylase deficiency
    • 17A-OH/17,20 Lyase deficiency
  • Kidney disease (renal artery stenosis)
  • Glucocorticoid receptor deficiency-mutations to the NR3C1 gene symptoms include:

Syndromes

Medication

  • Diuretics (that cause low potassium levels and hence low hydrogen ion levels)
  • Long term Laxative abuse i.e. Bisacodyl
  • Overuse of bicarbonates, such as baking soda or antacids
  • Corticosteroids

Vitamins, herbals and minerals

Respiratory Alkalosis

Medication (overdose of salicylates) i.e.

  • Aspirin

Symptoms

  • Breathe fast and/or uncontrolled breathing and/or shallow breathing?
  • Short of breath and/or breathing difficulties?
  • Rapid heartbeat?
  • Heart palpitations and/or irregular heartbeats?
  • Headache which is on and off or a constant headache longer than 24 hours?
  • Light headedness?
  • General discomfort (muscle weakness), uneasiness or ill feeling (malaise) and/or fatigue (tiredness)?
  • Confusion?
  • Irritable anxiety and/or depressed?
  • Balance and dizziness problems?
  • Nausea and/or sickness feeling?
  • Abdominal pain and/or are constant violently vomiting or vomiting longer than two days (one day if a child)?
  • Severe diarrhoea?
  • Hand tremor?
  • Numbness or tingling in the face?
  • Pain, numbness, burning and tingling (pins and needles) sensation in one’s hands and fingers (thumb and/or index finger and/or middle finger and/or ring finger and/or small finger)?
  • Pain and/or numbness and/or tingling sensation in one or both legs and/or foot area
  • Muscle twitching?
  • Aching, painful muscles, muscle cramps/spasms/stiffness and/or prolonged muscle spasms (tetany)?
  • Pale looking skin?
  • Blue skin?

Nail changes:

  • Blue nails?

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Medical Emergency

And/or do not wait. phone for an ambulance if have symptoms or develop:

Detailed Information

Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Metabolic Alkalosis and Respiratory Alkalosis in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).

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