Symptoms of metabolic alkali poisoning in the elderly

Why do we always say that when people get older they should replace three meals with vegetables and white porridge? It is because when people get older their metabolism slows down and the functions of various organs in the body also decline. At this time, if the elderly frequently eat big fish and meat, the body cannot bear the load and cannot excrete the metabolites, which can easily cause a variety of diseases. Metabolic alkali poisoning in the elderly is one of the diseases that elderly people suffer from, because when people get old, their plasma levels tend to increase, leading to an imbalance in the acidity and alkalinity of the blood. What are the symptoms of metabolic alkali poisoning in the elderly?

1. Symptoms of metabolic alkali poisoning in the elderly:

1. Numbness and tingling in fingers, wrist and foot spasms and arrhythmia. But it is often masked by the primary disease.

2. Those with hypocalcemia may experience convulsions of hands and feet;

3. Patients with hypokalemia may experience polyuria, polydipsia and paralysis;

4. Patients with hypovolemia may experience postural vertigo and muscle weakness. In severe cases, confusion, slow reaction, and even delirium may occur.

2. Causes

1. Loss of gastric contents, such as persistent vomiting caused by pyloric obstruction or continuous drainage by gastric tube placement.

2. The use of diuretics, mainly thiazide and loop diuretics.

3. Long-term use of large amounts of absorbable alkaline drugs or infusions of sodium lactate, sodium citrate or potassium citrate, such as infusions of stored blood.

4. Endocrine disorders, such as Cushing syndrome, primary aldosteronism, Bartter syndrome, etc.

Metabolic alkali poisoning (metaalkalosis) is caused by a decrease in non-volatile acids or an increase in alkali in extracellular fluid. Its main characteristics are an increase in plasma HCO3- concentration and a compensatory increase in PaCO2. It can exist alone or be mixed with respiratory acidosis. Metabolic alkali poisoning can cause complications such as acidosis, acidosis, alkalemia and hypokalemia.