Metabolic Alkalosis: Causes and Nursing Interventions

00:00 Now metabolic alkalosis, we have an excess of bicarb This is kind of a weird one to remember but it's caused by loss of acid from the stomach So we're talking about metabolic alkalosis.

00:13 Some of the most common causes are a loss of acid from the stomach either from excessive vomiting or if they've been on an NG tube for a long period of time.

00:23 Now an NG tube is a tube that we put into their nose, it goes down to the esophagus into the stomach.

00:29 We put it to intermittent suction.

00:32 Don't ever put one of those on constant suction because it could damage the lining of their stomach wall.

00:37 So if someone's on NG suction for a very long period of time, it's the same thing like they were vomiting all the time.

00:44 When you lose that much acid from the body, it can throw a patient into metabolic alkalosis.

00:50 So , how do we treat it? Well you address the underlying cause.

00:54 I know I've said that over and over again but remember ABGs are of no benefit.

01:00 All it is is just a number to tell you what was going on with that patient in that moment of time.

01:06 They're not of any value unless the healthcare team really start, looks at what's going on with a patient and addresses that underlying cause.

01:14 So once we do that, you might need some IV fluids for volume replacement particularly if they've been vomiting and have excessive vomiting, and what does the body do? Well, it's metabolic alkalosis so we look to the opposite system - the lungs since we're in alkalosis, we want the lungs to increase the CO2 so they breathe slower or less.

01:35 Thank you for watching our video today.

01:37 That wraps up the biggest four of the metabolic imbalances and good luck with your studies.