Tag: Hyperchloremic acidosis

Acetazolamide, a medication often used for conditions like glaucoma and altitude sickness, affects the body's acid-base balance [1, 5]. A key question regarding its use is: does acetazolamide cause acidosis or alkalosis? The answer is rooted in its mechanism of action within the kidneys.

Each year, over 30 million hospitalized patients receive intravenous fluids for resuscitation or volume maintenance [1.9.1]. A frequent, yet often overlooked, complication of this common therapy is understanding **how does fluid resuscitation cause metabolic acidosis**, particularly when using 0.9% saline.

Administration of large volumes of normal saline has been shown to cause or exacerbate hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis. For this reason, normal saline is contraindicated in metabolic acidosis, as it can worsen the patient's already compromised acid-base balance and lead to serious adverse effects. Understanding this contraindication is crucial for clinicians, especially in critical care and emergency settings, to ensure proper fluid management and improve patient outcomes.