Word parts
What it means
Too much acid, or too little base, in the body. Respiratory acidosis comes from the lungs holding in too much carbon dioxide, as with slow breathing or COPDsee-oh-pee-dee (said as letters)Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a long-term lung disease that makes it hard to move air out of the lungs.chronic long-lastingobstructive blockingpulmon/o lung-ary relating toFull entry . metabolic acidosismet-uh-BOL-ik as-ih-DOH-sisA state in which the blood is too acidic because the body has too much acid or has lost too much bicarbonate.metabol change, the body's chemical work-ic relating toacid -osis abnormal conditionFull entry comes from other acids building up or bicarbonate being lost, as in diabetic ketoacidosis, kidney failure or diarrhea. The lungs and kidneys work to bring the pH back to normal. The opposite is alkalosis.
For the nurse
Read the arterial blood gasar-TEER-ee-ul BLUD GASA blood test from an artery that measures oxygen, carbon dioxide, bicarbonate and the blood's pH.Full entry step by step: pH first, then PaCO2 (the lungs' part), then bicarbonate (the kidneys' part). Watch for changes in alertness, breathing and potassium.
At a glance
| Normal range | Arterial pH 7.35–7.45 |
|---|---|
| Spanish | acidosis |
Related terms
-osis
A word ending that means an abnormal condition or process, or an increase.
arterial blood gas
A blood test from an artery that measures oxygen, carbon dioxide, bicarbonate and the blood's pH.
metabolic acidosis
A state in which the blood is too acidic because the body has too much acid or has lost too much bicarbonate.
carbon dioxide
A gas made by the body's cells as waste, carried in the blood to the lungs and breathed out.