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== Pathophysiology == | == Pathophysiology == | ||
The healthy kidney can compensate for metabolic alkalosis by increasing its excretion of bicarbonate | Alkalaemia may cause plasma proteins to bind more free calcium ions, causing the level of free calcium in the serum to decrease, effectively causing hypocalcaemia. | ||
Alkalaemia also shifts the haemoglobin-oxygen dissociation curve to the left, which decreases tissue oxygenation. | |||
=== Compensation === | |||
The initial compensation occurs to intracellular buffers like the haemoglobin buffers, and is relatively modest. | |||
The healthy kidney can compensate for metabolic alkalosis by increasing its excretion of bicarbonate to a large degree. As such, for metabolic alkalaemia to occur, there is often a loss of kidney function. Renal compensation begins soon after the alkalosis, but it takes up to five takes to become complete. | |||
== Clinical features == | == Clinical features == |