Definition

Noun: A pathological condition characterized by an excessive acidity (low pH) of the blood and body fluids, specifically caused by either an accumulation of metabolic acids or a significant loss of bicarbonate (a base) from the body.

Usage

This term is used exclusively in medical and clinical contexts to describe a specific type of acid-base imbalance. * The patient's lab results confirmed a diagnosis of metabolic acidosis. * Metabolic acidosis is a serious complication that can occur in uncontrolled diabetes.

Advanced Usage

• To correct/compensate for metabolic acidosis: Refers to the body's physiological response or medical treatment aimed at restoring normal pH balance.
  • The kidneys work to compensate for metabolic acidosis by excreting more acid.
• Anion gap metabolic acidosis: A specific subtype classified by the presence of unmeasured anions in the blood, often seen in conditions like lactic acidosis or ketoacidosis.
  • The physician calculated the anion gap to determine the cause of the metabolic acidosis.

Variants and Related Words

• Metabolic (adjective): Relating to metabolism, the chemical processes in living organisms.
  • The drug affects the body's metabolic rate.
• Acidosis (noun): The general medical term for an abnormally high acidity of the blood and body tissues.
  • Respiratory failure can lead to acidosis.
• Alkalosis (noun): The opposite condition, characterized by excessive alkalinity (high pH) of the blood.

Synonyms

• Non-respiratory acidosis (This is a technical synonym distinguishing it from respiratory acidosis, which is caused by lung problems.)

Different Meanings

This term has a single, specific meaning in medical terminology. It does not have common idiomatic or figurative uses.

Notes

Metabolic acidosis is not a phrasal verb or an idiom. It is a fixed compound noun used as a precise medical diagnosis.

Noun

1. acidosis and bicarbonate concentration in the body fluids resulting either from the accumulation of acids or the abnormal loss of bases from the body (as in diarrhea or renal disease)