RENAL TUBULAR ACIDOSIS

Course overview

KIDNEYS PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN MAINTAINING THE ACID-BASE BALANCE OF BODY ALONG WITH LUNGS, AND THEY DO SO BY REABSORBING FILTERED BICARBONATE AND REMOVING EXCESS HYDROGEN IONS. RENAL DISORDERS DUE TO THE REMOVAL OF HCO3 OR ACID HANDLING IN THE PRESENCE OF RELATIVELY PRESERVED GFR ARE COLLECTIVELY REFERRED TO AS RENAL TUBULAR ACIDOSIS. IT IS A NON-ANION GAP HYPERCHLOREMIC METABOLIC ACIDOSIS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSES, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, AND PRESENTATION OF RENAL TUBULAR ACIDOSIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.