Acidosis and Alkalosis?

[newflgrad]

I like to have little things that help me remember certain things that won't stick in my head and Acidosis and Alkalosis is one of them!!LOL Does anyone have a little way that helped them remember the CO2's HCO3 and PH and so on? Like to hear from ya!

[eperey]

low PH, high CO2, high HCO3 = RESP. ACIDOSIS

high PH, low CO2, low HCO3 = RESP. ALKALOSIS

low PH, low CO2, low HCO3 = METABOLIC ACIDOSIS

high PH, high CO2, high HCO3= METABOLIC ALKALOSIS

Note: everything is low in Metabolic acidosis and everything is high in Metabolic Alkalosis. Of course, try to remember the normal values.

Hope it helps.:)

[crb613, BSN, RN]

Ph goes to the left= acid Ph goes to the right=alkine

acid>>>>>>alkine

HCO3 22-26 CO2 35-45

So if Ph is 7.55(up)& Hco3 is 28 (UP) both are up = Met Alkalosis

Ph HCO3 both up = Met Alkalosis

PH HCO3 both down = Met Acidosis

PH down Co2 up = Resp Acidosis

PH up CO2 down =Resp Alkalosis

Then of course there is compensation........

I hope this helps & I have not confused you futher! Good Luck

[hrtprncss]

Hi when I was a student, the easiest explanation that clicked for me was the ''it's all in the family'' premise....ABG's consisting of a first and last name and grouping them. Here's a link, kinda long page but if you skim thru towards the middle the way then you classify it there, explained in layman's terms....Which is btw learned from the idea of L.G. Vonfrolio, one who each ICU or ER nurse is familiar of...

http://realnurseed.com/abg.htm

Hope this helps....

[unknown99, BSN, RN]

Respiratory

Opposite

Metabolic

Equal

[mwbeah]

condition primary disturbance compensatory factor

metabolic acidosis

decreased hco3

decreased paco2

metabolic alkalosis

increased hco3

increased paco2

respiratory acidosis

increased paco2

increased hco3

respiratory alkalosis

decreased paco2

decreased hco3

your ph is the first place to start, is it acidotic or alkalotic. then look at your paco2 and bicarb values - usually whichever one is closer to normal is the compensatory factor.

mike

[mwbeah]

You might also find this link helpful (it is a self learning packet).

Mike

http://www.orhs.org/classes/nursing/ABG_2004.pdf

[mgyurzaman]

Respiratory

Opposite

Metabolic

Equal

i will say this would have been 'the' best way to remember it - i use the this same acronym to remember them. if only you had explained it more. i would...but it's kinda hard to explain. one of those - "i know it, but i just can't explain it" (lol)

[crb613, BSN, RN]

Hi when I was a student, the easiest explanation that clicked for me was the ''it's all in the family'' premise....ABG's consisting of a first and last name and grouping them. Here's a link, kinda long page but if you skim thru towards the middle the way then you classify it there, explained in layman's terms....Which is btw learned from the idea of L.G. Vonfrolio, one who each ICU or ER nurse is familiar of...

http://realnurseed.com/abg.htm

Hope this helps....

This is a great site!......Do ya have any like this for fluids & electrolytes??

Don't mean to take over the thread!

[thatoneguy]

i always remember it like this.

if ph and HCO3 go the same way up or down its medibolic. (ph&HCO3 up=M. alk, ph&HOC3 down=M. acid) if ph and HCO3 go in different directions= respiratory. for compensating same thing but at the top or bottom of the scale relating to ph. meaning if ph is on the high side of normal and the HOC3 is high= compensated M. alk, like wise if ph is on the low side of norm and HOC3 is low= comp. M. acid.

for respirtory use this same thinking. if ph and HOC3 are going in different directions its respiratory. so if ph is high and HOC3 is low= R. alk. (b/c ph and HOC3 are going diff. dir) so a low ph and high HOC3= R. acid. for compensating same if the ph is on the low side of norm and the HOC3 is high= comp R. acid. its really easy to remember. the mainthing is ph and HOC3 up or down togather in medibolic and ph and HOC3 go in oppisite directions for resp.

[unknown99, BSN, RN]

I have another one...

as the ph goes, so goes your patient.

If the ph rises, then it is alkalosis, and most s/s on your patient will be iincreased.

If the ph is low, it is acidosis, and your patient crashes.

[learner1108]

The compensating part is what I have trouble remembering. Any suggestions? thanks:)