Question

Explain the difference between respiratory and metabolic acidosis/alkalosis (yes also explain what acidosis and alkalosis mean) and what the body does to compensate for each in both the fast short term and the slower long term.

Answer 1

Answer :

Definations

Respiratory Acidosis:

One pathway to acidosis goes through the respiratory system, and we refer to this as respiratory acidosis. This occurs when the lungs fail to remove excess carbon dioxide from our bloodstream during the process of respiration. The lungs may fail like this due to respiratory or nervous system conditions, such as asthma or brain injuries. This could also happen with the lungs due to excessive alcohol and drug use.

Acidosis that occurs when the lungs fail to remove excess carbon dioxide from our bloodstream during the process of respiration is respiratory acidosis.

Metabolic Acidosis:

The other pathway to acidosis involves the digestive and urinary systems. These two systems work together to maintain the proper blood pH by breaking down substances through metabolizing and excreting them through urine. If this system breaks down and the pH level drops, then metabolic acidosis will be the result.

The digestive system is normally able to process ingested acid and maintain the proper acid levels in the stomach. Excess acid consumption may overload the system, and the acids in the bloodstream will rise. The kidneys normally remove acid from the bloodstream during filtration due to a balanced amount of electrolytes in the blood. An imbalance in these electrolytes will cause the kidneys to malfunction and not remove acid. The malfunctions in the digestive and urinary systems may occur due to kidney disease, uncontrolled diabetes, blood poisoning, and loss of bicarbonate, also known as baking soda, the main base found in blood that neutralizes acids.

Acidosis that occurs when the digestive and urinary systems fail to breakdown and maintain the proper level of acids in the blood is known as metabolic acidosis.

Difference :

Metabolic Acidosis:

1. Bicarbonate (HCO3–) deficit.

2. pH lowered.

3. Respiratory-low pH stimulates respiratory centre causing decrease in [H2CO3].

4. Urinary pH-acidic

5. Abnormal increase in anions due to endogenous production of acid ions, ingestion of acidifying salts, and renal insufficiency.

6. Abnormal loss of HCO3–, e.g., in severe diarrhoea.

Difference :

Respiratory Acidosis:

1. Carbonic acid excess.

2. pH lowered.

3. The most important renal mechanism causes increase in H+-Na4 exchange, increased ammonia formation.

4. Urinary pH-acidic.

5. Depression of respiration due to damage to CNS, loss of ventilatory functions, effects of pain like pleurisy.

6. Impairment of diffusion of CO2 across alveolar membrane, obstruction to escape of CO2 from alveoli, insufficient pulmonary blood flow.