Vanderbilt Digestive Disease Center

Acidosis

Acidosis means there is too much acid in your body's fluids. Acidosis is often caused by problems with your kidneys and/or lungs. The kidneys and lungs regulate the body's acid balance.

There are two major types of acidosis:

• Respiratory— there is too much carbon dioxide (an acid) in the body due to decreased breathing
• Metabolic— caused by problems with the body's ability to regulate its normal chemical processes

There are several different types of metabolic acidosis:

Diabetic acidosis— ketones build up because of diabetes that is not controlled. Ketones are produced when your body breaks down stored fat to use as energy, rather than using the carbohydrates it gets from what you eat. Symptoms:

• extreme tiredness
• frequent urination or thirst
• fruity breath odor
• decreased mental alertness
• muscle stiffness
• nausea and/or vomiting
• shortness of breath and/or faster breathing

Hyperchloremic acidosis - caused by loss of sodium bicarbonate (a base that neutralizes acid), often due to diarrhea. Symptoms:

• confusion or decreased alertness
• rapid breathing

Lactic acidosis - when there is too much lactic acid, which forms when oxygen levels in the body drop below normal. Lacitc acidosis may be caused by many different things. (See box at right). Symptoms:

• rapid breathing
• sweating too much
• cool, clammy skin
• stomach pain
• nausea and/or vomiting
• coma

Diagnosis

Your doctor will diagnose acidosis using blood chemistry tests and analysis of blood gases (done through a blood draw from an artery).The doctor will treat the underlying causes of acidosis to solve the problem.

Related Links

Vanderbilt Neurosciences

Vanderbilt Diabetes