Post by Brian G on Nov 19, 2014 1:24:34 GMT
First a little refresher...
pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline (also known as basic) something is. 0 is really acidic, 14 is really basic, 7 is neutral.
The human body is a little on the alkaline side; the normal range is 7.35 to 7.45
PaCO2 is the partial pressure of CO2 gas (carbon dioxide) in the arteries. Partial pressure means CO2 makes up a portion of the total pressure of all the gases in your body, O2 (oxygen) makes up a portion, etc. Add them all up and you get the total pressure.
The normal levels of PaCO2 are 35-45 mmHg. Hmm, same numbers as the pH. Kinda makes it easy to remember.
HCO3- is bicarbonate (half of what makes up baking soda). The minus sign after the HCO3 indicates a charge; bicarbonate is an ion. It wants another hydrogen ion to be complete (to be neutral).
The normal levels of HCO3- are 22-26 mEq/L (those are milli-equivilants per liter. When it's an ion, that's how you measure it)
So once again, the normal values are:
pH 7.35-6.45
PaCO2 35-45 mmHg
HCO3- 22-26 mEq/L
Part 2
Your body works hard to keep the pH within the normal range. It does this through buffer systems in your blood, through breathing, and through urination. The chemical formula for what is happening is:
H+ + HCO3- <--> H2CO3 <--> CO2 + H20
Not terribly important to remember, but it does help with test questions and diagnosis to understand what is happening.
On the left hand side, the lonely bicarbonate gets it's extra hydrogen and now it is happy as H2CO3 (also known as carbonic acid). It doesn't stop there though; it can break apart into CO2 and water.
This reaction goes both ways. Water combines with carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid which splits apart into the lone hydrogen atom and bicarbonate.
Part 3
If you have more lonely H+ ions floating around, you are more acid. Have less and you are more basic. Since hydrogen pairs up with bicarbonate, that means bicarbonate is basic. If you have more bicarbonate, you are more basic. Have less and you are more acidic.
Similarly, if you take more CO2 out of the equation (by breathing faster), that means less CO2 to combine with water --> less H2CO3 --> less free H+ --> more basic (raise the pH level).
Breath slower and the opposite happens-more CO2 combining with water --> more H2CO3 --> more free H+ --> more acidic (lower the pH level).
Pee more bicarbonate out? You get more acidic. Retain more bicarbonate and you get more basic.
Continue to part 2
pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline (also known as basic) something is. 0 is really acidic, 14 is really basic, 7 is neutral.
The human body is a little on the alkaline side; the normal range is 7.35 to 7.45
PaCO2 is the partial pressure of CO2 gas (carbon dioxide) in the arteries. Partial pressure means CO2 makes up a portion of the total pressure of all the gases in your body, O2 (oxygen) makes up a portion, etc. Add them all up and you get the total pressure.
The normal levels of PaCO2 are 35-45 mmHg. Hmm, same numbers as the pH. Kinda makes it easy to remember.
HCO3- is bicarbonate (half of what makes up baking soda). The minus sign after the HCO3 indicates a charge; bicarbonate is an ion. It wants another hydrogen ion to be complete (to be neutral).
The normal levels of HCO3- are 22-26 mEq/L (those are milli-equivilants per liter. When it's an ion, that's how you measure it)
So once again, the normal values are:
pH 7.35-6.45
PaCO2 35-45 mmHg
HCO3- 22-26 mEq/L
Part 2
Your body works hard to keep the pH within the normal range. It does this through buffer systems in your blood, through breathing, and through urination. The chemical formula for what is happening is:
H+ + HCO3- <--> H2CO3 <--> CO2 + H20
Not terribly important to remember, but it does help with test questions and diagnosis to understand what is happening.
On the left hand side, the lonely bicarbonate gets it's extra hydrogen and now it is happy as H2CO3 (also known as carbonic acid). It doesn't stop there though; it can break apart into CO2 and water.
This reaction goes both ways. Water combines with carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid which splits apart into the lone hydrogen atom and bicarbonate.
Part 3
If you have more lonely H+ ions floating around, you are more acid. Have less and you are more basic. Since hydrogen pairs up with bicarbonate, that means bicarbonate is basic. If you have more bicarbonate, you are more basic. Have less and you are more acidic.
Similarly, if you take more CO2 out of the equation (by breathing faster), that means less CO2 to combine with water --> less H2CO3 --> less free H+ --> more basic (raise the pH level).
Breath slower and the opposite happens-more CO2 combining with water --> more H2CO3 --> more free H+ --> more acidic (lower the pH level).
Pee more bicarbonate out? You get more acidic. Retain more bicarbonate and you get more basic.
Continue to part 2