METABOLIC ACIDOSIS

Course overview

ACID-BASE DISORDERS ARE DISTURBANCES IN THE HOMEOSTASIS OF HYDROGEN ION CONCENTRATION IN THE PLASMA. ANY PROCESS THAT INCREASES THE SERUM HYDROGEN ION CONCENTRATION IS AN ACIDOTIC PROCESS. THE TERM ACIDEMIA IS USED TO DESCRIBE SERUM THAT IS ABNORMALLY ACIDIC, AND THIS CAN BE DUE TO A RESPIRATORY ACIDOSIS, WHICH INVOLVES CHANGES IN CARBON DIOXIDE, OR A METABOLIC ACIDOSIS WHICH IS INFLUENCED BY DECREASED BICARBONATE. METABOLIC ACIDOSIS IS CHARACTERIZED BY AN INCREASE IN THE HYDROGEN ION CONCENTRATION IN THE SYSTEMIC CIRCULATION THAT RESULTS IN AN ABNORMALLY LOW SERUM BICARBONATE LEVEL. METABOLIC ACIDOSIS SIGNIFIES AN UNDERLYING DISORDER THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED TO MINIMIZE MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE RISK FACTORS, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF METABOLIC ACIDOSIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ENHANCING CARE DELIVERY FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.