Metabolic Acidosis in Emergency Medicine Questions & Answers

Updated: Sep 29, 2022
  • Author: Antonia Quinn, DO; Chief Editor: Romesh Khardori, MD, PhD, FACP  more...
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Questions & Answers

Overview

What is metabolic acidosis?

What is the pathophysiology of metabolic acidosis?

What is the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation and how does it explain the pathophysiology of metabolic acidosis?

What is the base excess theory of the pathophysiology of metabolic acidosis?

What is the Strong Ion Theory of the pathophysiology of metabolic acidosis?

What is the prognosis of metabolic acidosis?

Presentation

Which organ systems are involved in metabolic acidosis?

What are the head, eyes, ears, nose, throat (HEENT) findings characteristic of metabolic acidosis?

What are cardiovascular signs and symptoms of metabolic acidosis?

What are neurologic signs and symptoms of metabolic acidosis?

What are pulmonary signs and symptoms of metabolic acidosis?

What are GI signs and symptoms of metabolic acidosis?

What are musculoskeletal signs and symptoms of metabolic acidosis?

Which neurologic findings are characteristic of metabolic acidosis?

Which cardiovascular findings are characteristic of metabolic acidosis?

Which pulmonary findings are characteristic of metabolic acidosis?

Which musculoskeletal findings are characteristic of metabolic acidosis?

What causes an inability to excrete the dietary H+ load in metabolic acidosis?

What causes increased H+ load in metabolic acidosis?

What causes GI HCO3-loss in metabolic acidosis?

DDX

What are the differential diagnoses for Metabolic Acidosis in Emergency Medicine?

Workup

What is the role of arterial blood gas analysis in the diagnosis of metabolic acidosis?

What is the role of serum chemistry and complete blood count (CBC) in the diagnosis of metabolic acidosis?

What is the role of urinalysis in the diagnosis of metabolic acidosis?

What is the role of imaging studies in the diagnosis of metabolic acidosis?

What is the role of the anion gap (AG) in the diagnosis of metabolic acidosis?

Which mnemonics are used to recall the differential diagnosis of high anion gap acidosis?

What does a normal anion gap (AG) (ie, hyperchloremic acidosis) indicate?

What can affect the anion gap (AG) in the workup of metabolic acidosis?

What is the role of the osmolal gap the workup for metabolic acidosis?

What is the role of ketone levels in the diagnosis of metabolic acidosis?

What is the role of serum lactate level in the diagnosis of metabolic acidosis?

What is the role of salicylate levels in the diagnosis of metabolic acidosis?

What is the role of iron levels in the diagnosis of metabolic acidosis?

What is the role of ECG in the diagnosis of metabolic acidosis?

Treatment

How is metabolic acidosis treated?

What are potential complications of bicarbonate therapy for metabolic acidosis?

Which specialist consultations are beneficial to patients with metabolic acidosis, and what is the role of dialysis in metabolic acidosis?

Medications

Which medications are used in the treatment of metabolic acidosis?

Which medications in the drug class Alkalinizing agent are used in the treatment of Metabolic Acidosis in Emergency Medicine?