A 22-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department by her roommate due to agitation, nausea, and ringing in her ears. The roommate reports finding several empty over-the-counter medication bottles in their bathroom. On physical examination, the patient appears distressed and is breathing rapidly.
Temperature is C ( F), blood pressure is 112/68 mm Hg, pulse is 118/min, and respiratory rate is 26/min. Laboratory studies show:
| Component | Value |
|---|---|
| Serum | 142 mEq/L |
| Serum | 4.1 mEq/L |
| Serum | 102 mEq/L |
| Serum | 12 mEq/L |
| BUN | 18 mg/dL |
| Serum creatinine | 0.9 mg/dL |
Arterial blood gas on room air:
| Component | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 7.41 |
| 18 mm Hg | |
| 95 mm Hg |
Which of the following best characterizes this patient's underlying acid-base disturbance?
- Concomitant primary high anion gap metabolic acidosis and primary respiratory alkalosisCevap
- BPrimary high anion gap metabolic acidosis with appropriate respiratory compensation
- CPrimary respiratory alkalosis with appropriate metabolic compensation
- DConcomitant primary non-anion gap metabolic acidosis and primary respiratory alkalosis
- EConcomitant primary high anion gap metabolic acidosis and primary metabolic alkalosis
Cevap
Concomitant primary high anion gap metabolic acidosis and primary respiratory alkalosis
The correct answer identifies a classic mixed acid-base disorder typically seen in salicylate (aspirin) toxicity. Initially, salicylates directly stimulate the medullary respiratory center, causing hyperventilation and a primary respiratory alkalosis. Shortly after, they uncouple oxidative phosphorylation, leading to anaerobic metabolism, accumulation of organic acids (lactic acid, ketoacids), and a primary high anion gap metabolic acidosis. The concurrent primary acidosis and primary alkalosis pull the pH in opposite directions, often resulting in a near-normal or slightly alkalemic pH (e.g., 7.41), while both the and are markedly reduced beyond simple compensatory mechanisms.
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Mixed acid-base disorders in salicylate toxicity