AzidoseAlkalose

AzidoseAlkalose is a term used in medical literature to describe a pattern of disturbed acid–base balance in which acidosis and alkalosis occur together, producing a mixed or combined disorder. It is not a single disease but a description of two or more primary disturbances in a patient, such as metabolic acidosis with metabolic alkalosis or respiratory acidosis with metabolic alkalosis, etc. The overall pH is determined by the net effect of the disturbances and may be near normal or markedly abnormal depending on the balance.

In normal physiology, acid–base homeostasis is maintained by buffering, respiration, and renal handling. When an abnormal acid load (acidosis) or loss of base (alkalosis) arises, the body attempts compensatory changes in ventilation or bicarbonate handling. In a mixed AzidoseAlkalose, these compensations may be insufficient or overwhelmed, leading to discordant findings on laboratory testing.

Common examples include metabolic acidosis from lactic acidosis coinciding with metabolic alkalosis from excessive vomiting, or respiratory acidosis due to hypoventilation together with metabolic alkalosis from diuretic use. Diagnosis relies on arterial blood gas analysis and serum electrolytes. Key metrics include pH, partial pressure of CO2, bicarbonate, and the anion gap; additional calculations (delta ratio, base excess) help identify overlapping disorders.

Management focuses on treating the underlying causes and carefully correcting disturbances to avoid overshoot. Recognition of a mixed disorder is important because therapy addressing only one component can worsen the other. In clinical practice, AzidoseAlkalose serves as a diagnostic description guiding comprehensive evaluation and targeted treatment.