Question

What is the difference between respiratory acidosis and metabolic acidosis;

and respiratory alkalosis and metabolic alkalosis and how does compensation play a role in these disorders

Answer 1

Acidosis occurs when acid builds up or when bicarbonate ( a base ) is lost.

Metabolic acidosis results from all causes other than respiratory function. It is due to decrease in base formation or bicarbonate in the blood. It can be failure of kidney function.

Respiratory acidosis : It is related to with the exchange of carbondioxide ( lack of drive to breath ), the carbondioxide build up and causes the pH level to become acidic , due to ineffective ventilation that causes an accumulation of carbondioxide in arterial blood.

compensatory mechanism : in respiratory acidosis : If there is an increase in ventilation , leads to increase of carbondioxide at a greater rate than that of cellular carbondioxide production.