Alkalosis, << `al` kuh LOH sihs, >> is a condition in which a person’s body fluids become too alkaline. The body adjusts to mild alkalosis. Severe alkalosis can result in muscular weakness, convulsions, coma, and even death.
Most cases of alkalosis arise from disorders or drugs that cause the body to lose too much acid, thus upsetting the normal balance of acid and alkali. Disorders that can result in alkalosis include prolonged vomiting and hyperventilation (abnormally rapid, deep breathing).
Prolonged vomiting causes excessive loss of hydrochloric acid from the stomach. During hyperventilation, a person exhales too much carbon dioxide, lowering the level of carbonic acid in the blood. Alkalosis can arise from prolonged use of such drugs as diuretics, which increase the flow–and the acidity–of urine from the kidneys.
Treatment of alkalosis usually consists of correcting the underlying disorder or reducing the drug intake. A solution containing a weak acid may be administered through a vein to help restore the body’s normal acid-alkali balance.
