Alkalosis can lead to life threatening disease, Doctor warns
NAN-HG-2
Alkalosis
By Chinenye Offor
Abuja, Dec. 21, 2016 (NAN) Dr Okezie Emenike, an Abuja based medical practitioner, has warned that alkalosis in the blood could lead to life threatening disease.
Emenike made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
He described alkalosis as a condition in which the body fluids has excess base (alkali)
According to him , the fluids in the body contains two substances which includes acid and bases adding the balance between the acid and bases known as power of hydrogen (ph) balance.
He stated that having too much or too little base or acid could lead to power of hydrogen imbalance.
While decreased carbon dioxide (acid) or increased bicarbonate (a base level in the blood) causes alkalosis.
The medical doctor also identified excessive loss of acid from the blood that results from rapid or deep breathing, lung disease and liver disease as other causative factors of alkalosis.
Emenike noted that there are five types of alkalosis such as respiratory, metabolic, compasated, hypochloremic and hypokalemic alkalosis.
He said that respiratory challenge occurs when there was not enough carbon dioxide in a patient’s blood stream that often result to high fever as well as lack of oxygen.
The physician noted that metabolic occurs when the body looses a large amount of acid as well as gains much base.
He added that compensated alkalosis occurred due to restriction of normal ph balance, while carbon dioxide and bicarbonate levels remains abnormal.
According to him, hypochloremic alkalosis occurs when there is a significant decline of chloride in the body, while the hypokalemic happens if the body lacks the normal amount of potassium.
However, Emenike said that prevention of alkalosis should start by maintaining a good health, eating healthy diet, staying hydrated as well as consuming foods high in potassium, among others.
He also advised the avoidance of consuming soft drinks with high sugar in order to prevent the risk of developing alkalosis.
Besides, he noted that treatment of the condition should start from identifying the cause.
He recommended oxygen if the patient’s body oxygen was low and medications to correct chemical loss such as chloride and potassium.
The expert advised patients with the condition to seek medical help if they experienced seizures, severe breathing difficulties as well as unable to concentrate. (NAN)
CSO/HS/MST
Edited by Halima Sheji/Muhammad Suleiman Tola