Metabolic acidosis occurs when a person's blood becomes too acidic because either the body produces too much acid, or the kidneys cannot remove enough acid, according to the National Institutes of Health, or NIH. For the body to function properly, it is essential for the blood's acid/base balance to be precisely controlled.
Function
The body's blood is measured in pH, which is the measure of hydrogen ions in the blood. The body maintains a blood pH of between 7.35 and 7.45. Any number below 7.0 is acidic; any number above 7.0 is basic. Thus, the body's blood constantly attempts to maintain a slightly basic pH level. The primary organs responsible for controlling pH are the lungs and kidneys, as well as a complex buffer system of weak acids and bases that increase or decrease depending on need, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library.
Types
Several types of metabolic acidosis have been identified. Diabetic acidosis, also known as diabetic ketoacidosis, develops when acidic bodies known as ketones build up in the blood. Hyperchloremic acidosis is one of the more common forms of metabolic acidosis and is most often associated with gastrointestinal problems that affect the level of bicarbonate in the blood. Lactic acidosis occurs when lactic acid produced in muscle cells and red blood cells proliferates in the bloodstream due to inadequate oxygen levels.
Causes
Diabetic ketoacidosis happens most commonly due to uncontrolled blood sugar in diabetics, but may arise due to long-term alcohol abuse, fasting and malnutrition. Hyperchloremic acidosis occurs when a person loses excessive amounts of bicarbonate through gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea or a colostomy procedure. Kidney failure may cause metabolic acidosis because the damaged kidneys are unable to pull enough acid from the blood. Toxins such as alcohol, methanol and salicylates such as aspirin produce too much acid in the blood. Lactic acidosis most commonly occurs due to intense exercise, but can occur due to shock, hypoxia or seizures as well as from the ingestion of poisons such as cyanide, iron and isoniazid, according to the Merck Online Medical Library.
Symptoms
In many cases of metabolic acidosis, no symptoms will surface until the blood becomes severely acidic. When acidosis has reached critically high levels, the person will feel nausea and fatigue and often begin vomiting. The Merck Online Medical Library explains that the most common sign of metabolic acidosis is the long, deep breaths people take to compensate for the blood's high acidic response.
Tests
To diagnose metabolic acidosis, a physician will commonly collect blood samples to check a patient's electrolytes. A physician may also run a test known as an arterial blood test to check the patient's blood for levels of pH, bicarbonate, carbon dioxide, oxygen and oxygen saturation, meaning the amount of oxygen present in the blood, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. An arterial blood gas sample is taken from an artery instead of a vein and can be slightly more painful as well as take longer to stop bleeding.
Treatment
Treatment of metabolic acidosis depends on the type of metabolic acidosis the person has. In a patient with diabetic ketoacidosis, it is essential to get the patient's blood sugar levels under control. Patients who have hyperchloremic acidosis may receive sodium bicarbonate to improve the acid level in the blood, according to the NIH.
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