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alkalosis

 
Dictionary: al·ka·lo·sis   (ăl'kə-lō'sĭs) pronunciation
n.
Abnormally high alkalinity of the blood and body fluids.

[ALKAL(I) + -OSIS.]

alkalotic al'ka·lot'ic (-lŏt'ĭk) adj.

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Dental Dictionary: alkalosis
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(alkəlō′sis)
n

A disturbance of acid-base balance and water balance, characterized by an excess of alkali or a deficiency of acids.

Abnormally high pH in the blood or tissue fluids (pH > 7.45). Excess alkali can make muscles overreact, causing them to go into cramp-like spasms. There are two forms of alkalosis. Respiratory alkalosis usually results from hyperventilation (heavy breathing), which reduces carbon dioxide levels in the body fluids. It can also occur at high altitudes, where the air is thin and oxygen levels are low. Metabolic alkalosis often results from ingesting excessive amounts of alkalinizers or from losing large amounts of acid (for example, by vomiting the acidic stomach contents).

Veterinary Dictionary: alkalotic
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Pertaining to or characterized by alkalosis.

Wikipedia: Alkalosis
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Alkalosis
Classification and external resources
ICD-10 E87.3
ICD-9 276.3
MeSH D000471

Alkalosis refers to a condition reducing hydrogen ion concentration of arterial blood plasma (alkalemia). Generally alkalosis is said to occur when pH of the blood exceeds 7.45. The opposite condition is acidosis.

Contents

Types

More specifically, alkalosis can refer to:

Causes

The main cause of respiratory alkalosis is hyperventilation, resulting in a loss of carbon dioxide. Compensatory mechanisms for this would include increased dissociation of the carbonic acid buffering intermediate into hydrogen ions, and the related excretion of bicarbonate,[citation needed] both of which would lower blood pH.

Metabolic alkalosis can be caused by prolonged vomiting, resulting in a loss of hydrochloric acid with the stomach content. Severe dehydration, and the consumption of alkali are other causes. It can also be caused by administration of diuretics and endocrine disorders such as Cushing's syndrome. Compensatory mechanism for metabolic alkalosis involve slowed breathing by the lungs to increase serum carbon dioxide, a condition leaning toward respiratory acidosis. As respiratory acidosis often accompanies the compensation for metabolic alkalosis, and vice versa, a delicate balance is created between these two conditions.

Complications

Metabolic alkalosis is usually accompanied with hypokalemia, causing e.g. muscular weakness, myalgia, and muscle cramps (owing to disturbed function of the skeletal muscles), and constipation (from disturbed function of smooth muscles).

It may also cause hypocalcemia. As the pH of blood increases, the protein in the blood becomes more ionised into anions. This causes the free calcium present in blood to bind strongly with protein. If severe, it may cause tetany (alkalotic tetany).

See also

References



 
 

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Dental Dictionary. Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Sports Science and Medicine. The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine. Copyright © Michael Kent 1998, 2006, 2007. All rights reserved.  Read more
Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Alkalosis" Read more