Question

1. Discuss the normal pH range of extracellular fluid and how hydrogen ion concentration alters this range.
2. What physiological issues arise from acidosis? Alkalosis?
3. When someone hyperventilates, they are at risk for respiratory alkalosis. Explain why having someone breathe into a paper bag alleviates this condition. Be sure to explain what respiratory alkalosis is, how it relates to hyperventilation, and what purpose the paper bag serves from a physiological standpoint.

Answer 1

The power of hydrogen (pH) is a quantitative measure of the acidity and basicity of an aqueous solution.

In the acidic environment hydrogen ions are present.

There should be maintain a normal pH in each and every compartment of the body

Here the compartment means extracellular fluid,plasma and intracellular fluid

For the human beings the normal pH of the plasma of blood is maintained as 7.35-7.45.

The pH of the blood is an effective indicator to ensure the proper functioning of metabolic processes and the delivery of the oxygen to the human cells and tissues.

The acidity and basicity or the alkalinity of the solution is based on the pH measurement and is tightly regulated in a process called as acid-base homeostasis.

The concentration of the hydrogen ion is help in determining whether a liquid or the solution is acidic,neutral or alkaline.and is expressed as pH.

Due to some illness or some other conditions like infections there is a imbalance in pH caused by an excess of acid or alkali (base).

$\rightarrow$ Acidosis occur when the blood pH falls below 7.35.It may occur due to increased acid or decreased base.Due to the imbalance the patient may show the symptoms such as:

*Head ache

*Sleep disturbances/Sleepiness

*Confusion

*Loss of consciousness

*Coma

$\rightarrow$ Alkalosis occurs when blood pH rises above 7.45.This can be occur due to decreased acid or increased base.Due to the imbalance the patient may show:

*Confusion

*Light-headedness

*Stupor

*Coma

$\rightarrow$ Respiratory alkalosis occurs when there is a deficiency of carbon-di-oxide or carbonic acid in the blood are relatively low,when the blood is overly alkaline.This condition is usually occurs when too much CO₂ is exhaled from the lungs that can leads to alveolar hyperventilation of lungs/body receives more oxygen than it needs

When too much of CO₂ are exhaled from the lungs $\rightarrow$ Decreased levels of CO₂ in the blood $\rightarrow$ Over alkalinity of blood $\rightarrow$ Alveolar hyper ventilation of lungs $\rightarrow$ Respiratory alkalosis

The main technique behind the breathe in to a paper bag is to re-breath the exhaled CO₂ thus bringing back the patient to alleviate this condition and body is going back to a stage of normal pH.

$\rightarrow$ In the psychological stand point like a bandage for a cut or a crutch for a broken leg,at the same view point the brown paper bag is a symbol for alleviating respiratory alkalosis.

The main fact is that most studies advice against paper bag to treat hyperventilation.