Pathophysiology: Acidosis and Alkalosis Shifts in the Body (Essay Sample)

Acidosis and Alkalosis Shifts in the Body
Student’s Name
Institution
Acidosis and Alkalosis Shifts in the Body
Acidosis and alkalosis are serious conditions that cause shifts of the serum potassium which may produce serious cardiac rhythm abnormalities. Current paper discusses the shift into and out of the cell that occurs with each alteration of pH. Furthermore, it looks at what a body tries to accomplish by these shifts. Finally, the paper analyzes pathophysiology and the potential cardiac dysrhythmias resulting from each shift and how this shift affects the action potential.
As noted by Yee and Rabinstein (2010), the body may shift hydrogen ions in the manner of intracellular which helps to boost reabsorption in the accumulating canal. The amount of CO2 in the blood as well as in the kidneys is controlled by the lungs which in turn normalizes the level of bicarbonate (Lewis, 2013). A standard pH of blood is retained between 7.35 and 7.45 by the regulatory system (Lewis, 2013). When pH goes below 7.35, it leads to acidosis. Alkalosis appears when pH exceeds 7.45 (Ophardt, 2003). As noted by Ophardt (2003), insulin concentrations and acid-base status are factors that shift K in and out of cells. Additionally, it is worth noting that when insulin moves K into cells, it results in lower serum K concentration, thus leading to high concentration of insulin (Ophardt, 2003). Insulin low concentration causes K to move out of cells which leads to higher serum K (Lewis, 2013). With the help of shifting, the body tries to balance and normalize the alkalinity and acidity. As noted by Yee and Rabinstein (2010), respiratory acidosis is caused when CO2 is not removed from the blood due to...