ACIDOSIS

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Acidosis - a violation of the acid-base state of the body, characterized by an absolute or relative excess of acids and a decrease in pH.

Acidosis can be compensated or uncompensated, depending on the pH of the internal environment of the body. With compensated acidosis, the pH of the blood is shifted to the lower limit of the norm (7.35 - 7.45). With a more pronounced shift to the acidic side (pH less than 7.35), acidosis is considered to be uncompensated.

There are metabolic and respiratory acidosis. In metabolic acidosis, the acidity of the blood plasma is increased primarily due to a decrease in the concentration of hydrocarbonates in it (diabetic ketoacidosis, lactic acidosis, which develops with a decrease in tissue oxygenation, acidosis in case of impaired liver function, salicylate poisoning, methanol, kidney failure).

In respiratory acidosis, the level of carbon dioxide in the arterial blood primarily increases due to insufficient pulmonary ventilation (chronic non-specific lung diseases, pneumonia, bronchial asthma, pulmonary edema, asphyxia, respiratory center depression by various toxins, etc.).

Therapeutic measures are aimed primarily at the underlying disease. Symptomatic therapy for metabolic acidosis - in ensuring adequate ventilation of the lungs (often with the help of ventilation).