Acidosis

Acidosis

Acidosis is a pathological condition that occurs when there is an accumulation of acid or depletion of alkaline reserves in the blood and body tissues. This condition is characterized by an increase in hydrogen ion concentration or a decrease in pH, resulting in the blood having too much acid and a decrease in blood pH. Early signs of shock and metabolic acidosis may also be seen.From: Illustrated Dictionary and Resource Directory of Environmental and Occupational Health [2019], Handbook of Optical Sensing of Glucose in Biological Fluids and Tissues [2019], Metal Toxicology Handbook [2020]

Introduction to Chemical Reactivity

View Chapter

Purchase Book

Published in Caroline Desgranges, Jerome Delhommelle, A Mole of Chemistry, 2020

Caroline Desgranges, Jerome Delhommelle

Maintaining a pH at a given level by adding or removing acids and bases is crucial for living organisms. This is, for instance, the case of the blood pH that, for humans, needs to stay in a very narrow range between 7.35 and 7.45. If the blood pH drops below 7.35, then a condition known as acidosis sets in. If the blood pH becomes greater than 7.45, the corresponding condition is called alkalosis. The key for the organism is to remove the carbon dioxide (or carbonic acid) produced by metabolizing glucose. This is achieved by the lungs which remove CO2 through breathing, and by the kidneys which remove it through urine. If the blood pH is not in the 7.35–7.45 range, there can be either a respiratory condition or a metabolic issue related to a dysfunction of the kidneys.

The effect of inspiratory muscle fatigue on acid-base status and performance during race-paced middle-distance swimming

View Article

Journal Information

Published in Journal of Sports Sciences, 2019

Mitch Lomax, Jernej Kapus, Samuel Webb, Anton Ušaj

Acidosis can be respiratory or metabolic in origin, or can be a combination of both (Brooks, Fahey, White, & Baldwin, 2000). The progressive fall in pH without concomitant hypercapnia makes it likely we detected its metabolic origin. Moreover, the development of IMF, whether pre-induced or propulsion-induced, cannot be attributed to ventilatory impairment causing respiratory acidosis; at least not when the breathing pattern is optional and fr is ≥25 breaths min−1. However, there are a number of caveats to this interpretation.

Explore chapters and articles related to this topic

Introduction to Chemical Reactivity

The effect of inspiratory muscle fatigue on acid-base status and performance during race-paced middle-distance swimming