A patient comes in with a blood pH of 7.46. She is complaining
of weakness. It is diagnosed that she has suffered from food
poisoning and has been vomiting for the past 8 hours. In terms
of carbon dioxide or bicarbonate (whichever is appropriate),
explain what her condition is, (metabolic or respiratory;
acidosis or alkalosis). The condition, seen in the patient, is
metabolic Alkalosis (blood pH of 7.46) In conditions, where
patients have persistent vomiting, it results in loss of gastric
acid (HCl - Hydrochloric acid). When HCl is lost through
vomiting, a net gain of bicarbonate into the systemic
circulation occurs, generating a metabolic alkalosis (pH >7.40).
In order to maintain balance, the elevated bicarbonate in the
blood, stimulates the in renal excretion of potassium
(hypokalemia), which is the cause of symptoms like weakness in
the patients. The first clue to metabolic alkalosis is often an
elevated bicarbonate concentration that can be confirmed by
measuring serum electrolytes and arterial blood gas