Question
The most common acid-base disturbance in critically ill patients is :
The correct answer is
Chronic respiratory alkalosis
Critically Ill Patients Acid-Base Disturbance
Understanding acid-base disturbances is crucial in critical care settings.
Common Acid-Base Imbalance
In critically ill patients, the most frequently observed acid-base disturbance is chronic respiratory alkalosis.
Physiological Basis
- Critically ill patients often experience conditions leading to increased respiratory drive or altered ventilation mechanics.
- Factors such as sepsis, pain, anxiety, mechanical ventilation settings, and certain medications can cause hyperventilation (breathing faster or deeper than necessary).
- Hyperventilation leads to excessive elimination of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the blood.
- According to the relationship between CO2 and pH, a decrease in CO2 (hypocapnia) results in an increase in blood pH, causing an alkalosis.
- When this state persists over time, it is classified as chronic respiratory alkalosis.
While other acid-base disturbances can occur, the prevalence of factors causing hyperventilation makes chronic respiratory alkalosis the most common in this patient population.
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Important Questions from Acid-Base Disorders
- Salicylate intoxication in adults usually causes:
1. Severe respiratory alkalosis.
2. Mixed metabolic acidosis respiratory alkalosis.
3. Hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis.
Select the correct answer using the code given below - Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?
Consider the following:
1. Normal anion gap
2. Hyperchloraemic acidosis
3. Inappropriately high urinary pH (>5.4)
Which of the above are the characteristic features of renal tubular acidosis (RTA)?- Which one of the following is not an example of metabolic acidosis with high anion gap?
- Consider the following statements regarding distal renal tubular acidosis:
1. Blood biochemistry reveals normal anion gap metabolic acidosis
2. There is defective secretion of H$^+$ in the distal tubule.
3. There may be associated muscle weakness and rickets.
4. Children may present with polydipsia and polyuria.
Which of the above statements are correct?
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