Primary Disturbance | Example | Initial Blood pH | Compensatory Mechanism | Compensatory Change in Blood pH |
---|---|---|---|---|
Metabolic acidosis | Increased acid production in people with diabetes due to diabetic ketoacidosis Diabetic Ketoacidosis Diabetic ketoacidosis is an acute complication of diabetes that occurs mostly in type 1 diabetes mellitus. Symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and a characteristic... read more | Too low | Increased breathing rate to expel carbon dioxide | Increases back toward normal |
Respiratory acidosis | Decreased ability to breathe due to severe chronic lung disease Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is persistent narrowing (blocking, or obstruction) of the airways occurring with emphysema, chronic obstructive bronchitis, or both disorders. Cigarette... read more | Too low | Increased excretion of acid in the urine | Increases back toward normal |
Metabolic alkalosis | Loss of stomach acid due to vomiting | Too high | Decreased breathing rate to retain carbon dioxide | Decreases back toward normal |
Respiratory alkalosis | Hyperventilation due to anxiety | Too high | Increased excretion of alkali in the urine | Decreases back toward normal |