acidosis vs. alkalosis

[sonias]

This is my topic for this week in nursing school, respiratory & metabolic acidosis/ alkalosis. I am having trouble breaking it down. Can someone please help me understand this please? Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

[NRKB, MSN, RN]

Is it weird that I find this stuff fun? I always think if your vomiting (acid is going out of the body) then the pH in your body will increase and become alkaline because the acid balance is offset. If someone is not breathing (hypoventilation) then CO2 increases in the body leading to acidosis.

[Episteme]

I cannot do a better job. But I love to teach respiratory pathophysiology. When I'm talking about obstructive lung disease (mostly COPD, but sometimes asthma) I find students stumbling on CO2 retention. (Like on the exams... they'd always miss that item.) So here is what I say in lecture. (Ver batim)

"Ladys and gentlemen. One of the great disappointment we experience as we grow into adulthood is that "truth" seems so relative. You cannot count on even the most sincere promises...

1. "The check is in the mail..."

2. "If you like your health insurance... etc."

3. "Oh, baby... of COURSE I'll still love you in the morning."

But I am here to tell you something you can ALWAYS believe, something that is ALWAYS true. Here it is. Get out your pens and paper. Are you ready?

Elevated PaCO2 ALWAYS means alveolar hypoventilation. And alveolar hypoventilation ALWAYS causes elevated PaCO2.

And they haven't missed that one on the exam since.

[LoriRNCM, ADN, ASN, RN]

Bookmarking. We had this beginning of last semester and it stumps me even still. All I can remember is ROME. Respiratory Opposite Metabolic Equal.

[Mindylane]

I also remember that bicarb starts with "bi-" like the number 2, so you can remember the numbers in the range start with "2" (22-26).

[SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP]

We have an exam this Friday that covers ABGs and acidosis/alkalosis and compensation. This has been SO helpful!

[SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP]

Just had to follow up to my previous post. I got every acidosis/alkalosis question correct on my exam. Thank you SO MUCH, GrnTea! Your ABGs Made Simple box got me through it. ?

[geebs, BSN, RN]

Thank you SO much for this!!! I am working through fluid & electrolytes in school right now, and this explanation is invaluable!!!

[dcwang]

@Esme thank you for your clinical report and flow sheet!

Acidosis and alkalosis is a really difficult concept to grasp. we only did questions with one type of compensation. what helps me first on test questions is first determining whether it is respiratory or metabolic. If it is CO2 then I know it is in lungs, if it is H+/HCO3 then I know it is metabolic. Then I determine whether it is acidosis or alkalosis. Then as for compensation, I always remember it's the opposite. Respiratory acidosis compensate by metabolic alkalosis, respiratory alkalosis by metabolic acidosis, metabolic acidosis by respiratory alkalosis and metabolic alkalosis by respiratory acidosis.