What is the Difference Between Metabolic Acidosis and Metabolic Alkalosis

The key difference between metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis is that metabolic acidosis is the reduction of the body’s pH due to the decrease of serum bicarbonate concentration or increase in serum hydrogen ion concentration, while metabolic alkalosis is the elevation of the body’s pH due to an increase in serum bicarbonate concentration or decrease in serum hydrogen ion concentration.

Blood is made up of acids and bases. The amount of acids and bases in the blood can be measured by using a pH scale. It is very important to maintain the correct balance between acids and bases in the blood. A slight change even can cause health problems. Usually, blood should have a slightly higher amount of bases than acids. Metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis are two conditions due to the changes in normal blood pH.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Metabolic Acidosis 
3. What is Metabolic Alkalosis
4. Similarities – Metabolic Acidosis and Metabolic Alkalosis
5. Metabolic Acidosis vs Metabolic Alkalosis in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Metabolic Acidosis vs Metabolic Alkalosis

What is Metabolic Acidosis?

Metabolic acidosis is defined as the reduction of the body’s pH due to the decrease in serum bicarbonate concentration or increase in serum hydrogen ion concentration. It is a serious electrolyte disorder characterized by an acid-base imbalance in the body. Metabolic acidosis can also be due to increased acid production and reduced ability of the kidneys to excrete excess acids. This leads to a condition called acidemia.

In academia, the arterial blood pH is lower than 7.35. Acute metabolic acidosis can last from few minutes to several days. It often occurs during serious illnesses. Generally, it occurs when the body produces an excess amount of organic acids such as keto acids and lactic acids. Chronic metabolic acidosis state lasts from several weeks to years. It can be due to impaired kidney function or bicarbonate wasting.

The adverse effects of acute and chronic metabolic acidosis also differ from each other. Acute metabolic acidosis impacts the cardiovascular system in hospital settings while, chronic metabolic acidosis affects muscles, bones, kidneys, and cardiovascular system health. The symptoms of metabolic acidosis include rapid and shallow breathing, confusion, fatigue, headache, sleepiness, lack of appetite, jaundice, increased heart rate, etc. Moreover, the treatment for metabolic acidosis normally gives oral or intravenous sodium bicarbonate to raise the blood pH.

What is Metabolic Alkalosis?

Metabolic alkalosis is defined as the elevation of the body’s pH due to an increase in serum bicarbonate concentration or decrease in serum hydrogen ion concentration. It is a condition that occurs when the blood becomes overly alkaline. Alkalosis occurs when the blood has either too many alkali producing bicarbonate ions or too few acids producing hydrogen ions. Therefore, in metabolic alkalosis, arterial blood pH is higher than 7.35.

The symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhoea, swelling in the lower legs, fatigue, agitation, disorientation, seizures, and coma. This condition can normally diagnose through urine analysis. The treatment includes saline infusion, potassium replacement, magnesium replacement, chloride infusion, hydrochloride acid infusion and stopping the use of high doses of diuretics.

What are the Similarities Between Metabolic Acidosis and Metabolic Alkalosis?

• Metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis are two conditions due to the changes in normal blood pH.
• Both conditions are due to metabolic causes.
• These conditions can cause severe symptoms.
• They can be diagnosed through urine tests.
• These conditions are treatable through oral or intravenous administration of relevant fluid.

What is the Difference Between Metabolic Acidosis and Metabolic Alkalosis?

Metabolic acidosis refers to the reduction of the body’s pH due to the decrease in serum bicarbonate concentration or increase in serum hydrogen ion concentration. Meanwhile, metabolic alkalosis refers to the elevation of the body’s pH due to the increase in serum bicarbonate concentration or decrease in serum hydrogen ion concentration. So, this is the key difference between metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis. Furthermore, in metabolic acidosis, the body’s pH is lower than 7.35, but in metabolic alkalosis, the body’s pH is higher than 7.35.

The below infographic lists the differences between metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Metabolic Acidosis vs Metabolic Alkalosis

The disorders that affect metabolism can cause changes in normal blood pH. Metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis are two conditions due to the changes in normal blood pH. Metabolic acidosis is defined as the reduction of the body’s pH due to a decrease in serum bicarbonate concentration or increase in serum hydrogen ion concentration, while metabolic alkalosis is the elevation of the body’s pH due to an increase in serum bicarbonate concentration or decrease in serum hydrogen ion concentration. Thus, this summarizes the difference between metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis.

Reference:

1. “What Is Metabolic Acidosis?” WebMD.
2. Hecht, Marjorie. “Metabolic Alkalosis.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 7 May 2020.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Bicarbonate Levels in Metabolic Acidosis” By MetabolicAcidosisExpert – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “2716 Symptoms of Acidosis Alkalosis” By OpenStax College – Anatomy & Physiology, Connexions Web site, Jun 19, 2013. (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia