title: Clinical approach to the diagnosis of acid-base disorders.
abstract: An ability to rapidly and effectively diagnose and treat acid-base disorders is essential to the management of seriously ill patients. In this paper an approach to the diagnosis of pure and mixed acid-base disorders is presented that is based upon an understanding of the bicarbonate buffer system and a knowledge of the well defined and predictable compensatory responses that occur in association with each of the primary acid-base disorders. With this approach a number of acid-base problems are presented and solved.
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium; D000137:Acid-Base Imbalance / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000138:Acidosis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D000142:Acidosis, Respiratory / Q000175:diagnosis; D000208:Acute Disease; D000471:Alkalosis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D000472:Alkalosis, Respiratory / Q000175:diagnosis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans