Metabolic Acidosis

Unfortunately for us humans there are a thousand and more things that can lead to our death, and metabolic acidosis just happens to be one of them. Now, what is this metabolic acidosis? Does it really pack a punch enough to kill a man? Sadly, it sure does. By definition, metabolic acidosis is a condition that occurs when the kidneys fail to remove enough acid from the body, or the body itself produces acid in excess. Either way, if the process of metabolic acidosis is not stopped dead in its tracks, it can lead to academia. Academia plagues the body when the blood pH dives down to readings lower than 7.35. From all perspectives, metabolic acidosis if ignored can prove to be a fatal and almost irreparable deviation from the normal. Go ahead and read to on to establish familiarity with the causes, symptoms and treatment for the ‘ailment’ that is known as metabolic acidosis.

Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Of Metabolic Acidosis  

Causes Of Metabolic Acidosis
As mentioned before, metabolic acidosis occurs only when the body produces too much acid or when the kidneys fail to remove enough from the body. The following is an attempt to cover the possible causes of an occurrence of metabolic acidosis:  

• Diabetic acidosis falls under a type of metabolic acidosis. It makes its unwanted presence felt when acidic substances known as ‘ketone’ bodies multiply within the body. Diabetic acidosis is most prone to occur amongst people who are suffering from chronic diabetes. 
• Lacitic acidosis occurs with the buildup of lactic acid in the body. It is a type of acidosis that is caused by cancer, alcohol, low blood sugar, liver failure, certain medications, seizures and a prolonged lack of oxygen from shocks or failure of the heart.
• Severe dehydration can safely be singled out as one of the most prominent causes of medical acidosis.
• Kidney diseases make for yet another underlying cause behind the occurrence of a metabolic acidosis. In the case of a metabolic acidosis caused by a malfunction of the kidneys, the disorder medically is known as ‘distal tubular acidosis’ and ‘proximal renal tubular acidosis’.
• Poisoning by methanol, if you were not aware of it yet, can cause metabolic acidosis.

Symptoms Of Metabolic Acidosis
Most symptoms that are associated with metabolic acidosis are usually direct results of the disorder. However, these symptoms at times can be easily mistaken for a ‘passing cloud’. The following are a list of symptoms that go hand-in-hand with the occurrence of metabolic acidosis:

• Rapid breathing
• Confusion and lethargy
• Dizziness
• Cough
• Fits
• Cardiac arrhythmias
• Hyperventilation 

Treatment For Metabolic Acidosis
Thankfully metabolic acidosis does not spell a certain death for its unfortunate victims. It’s a disorder that can be corrected if noticed or diagnosed well in time. Generally, a pH under 7.1 can be considered a cause for alarm due to the associated risk of cardiac arrhythmias. This disorder can be corrected with an intravenous dosage of bicarbonate. Bicarbonate is most effective when given at 50-100 milliliters per dosage. Bicarbonate however cannot fulfill desired purposes when the acidosis in question is lactic in nature. In severe cases of acidosis, individuals may suffer from intoxication which is best cleared via a dialysis. Before going in for dialysis to set right metabolic acidosis it will only make for good sense for the patient to check with a nephrology department of the concerned hospital.