LACTIC ACIDOSIS

Course overview

LACTIC ACID IS PRODUCED IN PHYSIOLOGICALLY NORMAL PROCESSES, AND AS A COMMON FINDING IN DISEASE STATES. WHEN INCREASED PRODUCTION IS COMORBID WITH DECREASED CLEARANCE, THE SEVERITY OF THE CLINICAL COURSE ESCALATES. IMPORTANTLY, THE EFFECTS OF SEVERELY ELEVATED LEVELS OF LACTIC ACID CAN HAVE PROFOUND HEMODYNAMIC CONSEQUENCES AND CAN LEAD TO DEATH. SERUM LACTATE LEVELS CAN BE BOTH A MARKER FOR RISK AS WELL AS A THERAPEUTIC TARGET. THE HIGHER THE LEVEL AND THE LONGER THE TIME TO NORMALIZATION OF ELEVATED SERUM LACTATE, THE GREATER THE RISK OF DEATH. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF LACTIC ACIDOSIS, AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.