acid-base balance is the process by which the body maintains a proper acid-base equilibrium
this refers to the degree of acidity and alkalinity in the body
for our organs and systems to function properly the body must maintain acid-base homeostasis
by regulating the levels of acids and bases in the blood and tissues the body does this through
several mechanisms including respiration excretion and buffer systems in this video we will discuss
the role of acid-base balance in the body and how it is maintained we will also touch on some
disorders that can occur when this balance is disturbed so if you're ready let's get into it
as previously mentioned acid-base balance involves maintaining adequate levels of acids and bases
in the blood and body tissues which is measured by the ph scale this scale ranges from 0 which is
very acidic to 14 which is very alkaline blood in the human body is typically slightly more alkaline
than acidic therefore a normal ph ranges from 7.35 to 7.45 the goal of the body
is to maintain the blood ph as close to 7.4 as possible so how is acid-base analysis performed
an acid-base analysis can be performed by looking at the results of an arterial blood gas
or abg it's a test that measures the blood levels of oxygen carbon dioxide bicarbonate and acid-base
balance in the body a sample of blood is collected from a syringe and the results are used to assess
how well oxygen is being distributed throughout the body it also looks at how well carbon dioxide
is being removed abg interpretation is a very important skill for respiratory therapists
and medical professionals because it helps with the assessment of the patient's acid-base balance
if the ph is outside of the normal range the patient may require other interventions such
as oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation now let's take a look at the acid-base normal values
to better understand the key elements of an abg test it is important to know the
definition of the values that are being measured ph refers to the acid-base balance of the blood
the partial pressure of oxygen or pao2 refers to the amount of oxygen in arterial blood and the
partial pressure of carbon dioxide or paco2 refers to the amount of carbon dioxide in arterial blood
bicarbonate or hco3 refers to the total amount of co2 that is transported in the blood
and oxygen saturation or spo2 refers to the amount of hemoglobin in the blood that is saturated with
oxygen and after an arterial blood sample is collected it should be analyzed and
interpreted by the practitioner normal acid-base results should fall within the following ranges
ph of 7.35 to 7.45 pao2 of 75 to 100 pa co2 of 35 to 45 bicarbonate of 22 to 26
and an oxygen saturation of 94 to 100 percent the human body strives to regulate the amount
of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate in the blood in order to keep the ph within the normal range
so how is blood ph regulated our blood ph is regulated by the lungs kidneys and buffer systems
the lungs help with ventilation and oxygenation they provide the
blood with oxygen during inhalation while removing carbon dioxide during exhalation
the kidneys help to regulate blood ph by excreting acids or bases in order to maintain a proper
balance buffer systems help maintain proper ph balance by guarding against sudden swings in
acidity and alkalinity which means that we now need to discuss the acid-base disorders
there are two types of abnormalities when it comes to maintaining acid-base balance acidosis and
alkalosis acidosis means that the blood has either too much acid or not enough basis which results in
a decreased ph alkalosis means that the blood has too many bases or not enough acids which results
in an increased ph the two types of acid-base disorders include respiratory and metabolic
acidosis or alkalosis occurs when there is an imbalance in the production of acids or bases
that results from a lack of excretion by the kidneys respiratory acidosis or alkalosis occurs
when the lungs are removing too much or too little carbon dioxide
due to a condition of the lungs the steps for analyzing acid-base balance include the following
step 1 collect and analyze an abg sample step 2 determine if the ph is alkalotic or acidotic
step 3 determine if the issue is respiratory or metabolic related step 4 determine if
it's compensated or uncompensated and step five perform the treatment modalities recommended by
the physician this analysis involves learning the process of abg interpretation which is one of the
most valuable skills of respiratory therapists and students we have other videos and resources on our
channel and website so definitely check those out if you want to learn more and if you do want to
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and just a quick reminder we are not doctors this video is for informational purposes only
thank you so much for watching have a blessed day and as always real easy my friends