Question

Describe potential causes of alkalosis both metabolic and respiratory. What would the pH look like?

Answer 1

Respiratory alkalosis occurs with hyperventilation The primary cause of respiratory alkalosis is hypoxaemia from acute pulmonary disorders . Anxiety, CNS disorders and mechanical overventilation also increase ventilation rate and decrease the partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide level. This leads to decreased carbonic acid and alkalosis. Compensated respiratory alkalosis is rare. In acute respiratory alkalosis, aggressive treatment of the causes of hypoxaemia is essential and usually does not allow time for compensation to occur. However, buffering of acute respiratory alkalosis may occur with shifting of bicarbonate into cells in exchange for chlorine. In chronic respiratory alkalosis that occur with pulmonary fibrosis compensation may include renal excretion of bicarbonate.

pH level increases in respiratory alkalosis.

Metabolic alkalosis occurs when a loss of acid or a gain in bicarbonate occurs. The compensatory mechanism is a decreased respiratory rate to increase plasma carbon dioxide. Renal excretion of bicarbonate also occurs in response to metabolic alkalosis.

pH level increases in metabolic alkalosis.