Body acid-base balance

Body acid-base balance refers to the physiological processes that maintain blood pH within a narrow range of 7.35-7.45, essential for enzyme function, protein stability, and cellular metabolism. It is regulated by three primary mechanisms: chemical buffers (primarily the bicarbonate-carbonic acid system, which neutralizes excess H+ or base), the respiratory system (which adjusts pCO2 via lung ventilation controlled by chemoreceptors in the aorta, carotid arteries, and medulla), and the renal system (which excretes H+ as ammonium or titratable acids while reabsorbing or generating bicarbonate over hours to days). Disruptions cause acid-base disorders such as metabolic acidosis (e.g., from diabetic ketoacidosis) or respiratory alkalosis (e.g., from hyperventilation), leading to symptoms like confusion, arrhythmias, or coma if uncompensated. While not a discrete molecular target like a receptor or enzyme, imbalances are indirectly modulated by therapies addressing underlying causes, such as insulin for ketoacidosis or mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure. No specific drugs directly target "body acid-base balance" as it encompasses systemic homeostasis rather than a single entity.

Other names

Acid-base homeostasisacid-base regulationblood pH balance