Acid-Base Disorder | Assignment

Running Head: MS X CASE STUDY 1
MS X CASE STUDY
Name
Institution

MS X CASE STUDY 2
Q1. The clinical scenario is most consistent with which acid-base disorder?
The clinical scenario is consistent with Metabolic acidosis.
Q 2. What data in the clinical scenario supports your diagnosis?
Low Co2 level of 18mEq/L
Q 3. What caused this person's acid-base imbalance?
Diarrhea leading to bicarbonate loss
Q4. How does this acid-base imbalance cause the potassium imbalance noted in this
patient's labs?
This is because the acid-base and potassium homeostasis are well linked. Therefore, the acidosis
makes the chemical potassium move from the cells to the plasma fluid. This is done in the
exchange of alkalosis and the ions of hydrogen. The reason why there was potassium imbalance
in the patient lab was that Acidosis may be affected by hyperkalemia complications. From the
lab, the patient has a high level of potassium which is 5.5mEq/L, higher than the recommended
range ACI. Besides, acid-base disorders affect normal acid-base balance and may affect the
blood PH (McCance,2019). The severe increase of the potassium may lead to the death of the
patient.

MS X CASE STUDY 3
Q5. How does the body compensate for the acid-base disorder which this patient is
experiencing?
Increase or reduction of acidity beyond normal hastens compensation mechanisms to return the
blood PH to its normal state. Respiratory organs are responsible for compensating for metabolic
disturbances while on the other end metabolic processes balance the respiratory disturbances. In
this case for the patient, the lungs are responsible for compensating the hyperventilation. The
cause of alteration in acid balance is caused by the changes in the pulmonary alveoli ventilation.
This is because hypoventilation may automatically produce acidosis while the hyperventilation
in return produces alkalosis (McCance, 2019). The main aim of PH regulation is to absorb
HCO3, remove H+ in the form of acid or Ammonia.
Q6. How does the anion gap help you to differentiate between the causes of this acid-base
disorder?
Metabolically acidosis is mostly related to hyperkalemia while on the other end alkalosis is
associated with hypokalemia. Besides, respiratory processes in the balance of the acid-base cause
little or no effect in potassium distribution. The union gap of the patient is 10mEq/L which is
recommended and it’s in a normal state. A normal anion means that acidosis may be caused by
GI losses. When this happens, the reasons experience diarrhea. In a normal gap anion,
hydrogenation carrying extracellular medium enters the cell and potassium flows to maintain
electroneutrality (McGurk, 2014). The process is less in acidosis in an increased gap produced by