Lactic Acidosis: Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment
Lactic acidosis occurs when the body produces too much lactic acid and cannot metabolize it quickly enough. The condition can be a medical emergency. The onset of lactic acidosis might be rapid and occur within minutes or hours, or gradual, happening over a period of days. The best way to treat lactic acidosis is to find out what has caused it. Untreated lactic acidosis can result in severe and life-threatening complications. In some instances, these can escalate rapidly. It is not necessarily a medical emergency when caused by over-exercising. The prognosis for lactic acidosis will depend on its underlying cause. A blood test is used to diagnose the condition. Lactic acidosis symptoms that may indicate a medical emergency include a rapid heart rate and disorientaiton. Typically, symptoms of lactic acidosis do not stand out as distinct on their own but can be indicative of a variety of health issues. However, some symptoms known to occur in lactic acidosis indicate a medical emergency. Lactic acidosis can occur in people whose kidneys are unable to get rid of excess acid. Even when not related to just a kidney condition, some people's bodies make too much lactic acid and are unable to balance it out. Diabetes increases the risk of developing lactic acidosis. Lactic acidosis may develop in people with type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus , especially if their diabetes is not well controlled. There have been reports of lactic acidosis in people who take metformin, which is a standard non-insulin medication for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the incidence is low, with equal to or less than 10 cases per 100,000 patient-years of using the drug, according to a 2014 report in the journal Metabolism. The incidence of lactic acidosis is higher in people with diabetes who Continue reading >>
What Is Lactic Acidosis?: Signs, Symptoms, Causes And Treatment
What is lactic acidosis? It is a condition where lactate builds up in the body which leads to extremely low pH levels in the blood. Normally, your blood is alkaline or slightly basic. Lactic acidosis occurs when your blood is much more acidic than usual. Changes in blood pH levels can adversely affect your body’s organs. Lactic acidosis is a form of metabolic acidosis characterized by excessive accumulation of acid as a result of the body failing to metabolize lactic acidosis. Metabolic acidosis is a medical state that occurs when there is reduced systemic pH because of a decrease in bicarbonate or an increase in hydrogen ion concentration. Accumulation of lactic acids happens when there is inadequate oxygen in the muscles that is required to break down the glycogen and glucose for energy. In a normal body, lactate will exit muscle cells and travel to the liver, where it will be oxidized to pyruvate, and later converted to glucose. Glucose refers to a form of sugar which is one of the main sources of energy for the body. When there is reduced oxygen in the tissue, there will be a build up of lactic acid. This medical condition usually starts in the kidneys. Lactic acidosis normally occurs when the kidneys fail to excrete excess acids from the body. As a result, lactic acid accumulates in the body faster than it is removed. This build up of lactic acid leads to a pH imbalance in the body. There are two forms of lactic acid, that is D-lactate and L-lactate. D-lactate is a form produced in bacterial metabolism and may build up in patients who have had a gastric bypass or have short gut syndrome. On the other hand, L-lactic is produced from human metabolism. Both L-lactic and D-lactic are produced from pyruvate and metabolized to pyruvate by an enzyme known as lactate deh Continue reading >>
Glyburide And Metformin (oral Route)
Precautions Drug information provided by: Micromedex It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects. Under certain conditions, too much metformin can cause lactic acidosis. The symptoms of lactic acidosis are severe and quick to appear. They usually occur when other health problems not related to the medicine are present and very severe, such as a heart attack or kidney failure. The symptoms of lactic acidosis include abdominal or stomach discomfort; decreased appetite; diarrhea; fast, shallow breathing; a general feeling of discomfort; muscle pain or cramping; and unusual sleepiness, tiredness, or weakness. If you have any symptoms of lactic acidosis, get emergency medical help right away. It is very important to carefully follow any instructions from your health care team about: Alcohol—Drinking alcohol may cause severe low blood sugar. Discuss this with your health care team. Other medicines—Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This especially includes nonprescription medicines such as aspirin, and medicines for appetite control, asthma, colds, cough, hay fever, or sinus problems. Counseling—Other family members need to learn how to prevent side effects or help with side effects if they occur. Also, patients with diabetes may need special counseling about diabetes medicine dosing changes that might occur because of lifestyle changes, such as changes in exercise and diet. Furthermore, counseling on contraception and pregnancy may be needed because of the problems that can occur in patients with diabetes during pregnancy. Travel—Keep your recent prescription and your medical history with yo Continue reading >>
Lactic Acidosis: What You Need To Know
Lactic acidosis is a form of metabolic acidosis that begins in the kidneys. People with lactic acidosis have kidneys that are unable to remove excess acid from their body. If lactic acid builds up in the body more quickly than it can be removed, acidity levels in bodily fluids — such as blood — spike. This buildup of acid causes an imbalance in the body’s pH level, which should always be slightly alkaline instead of acidic. There are a few different types of acidosis. Lactic acid buildup occurs when there’s not enough oxygen in the muscles to break down glucose and glycogen. This is called anaerobic metabolism. There are two types of lactic acid: L-lactate and D-lactate. Most forms of lactic acidosis are caused by too much L-lactate. Lactic acidosis has many causes and can often be treated. But if left untreated, it may be life-threatening. The symptoms of lactic acidosis are typical of many health issues. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor immediately. Your doctor can help determine the root cause. Several symptoms of lactic acidosis represent a medical emergency: fruity-smelling breath (a possible indication of a serious complication of diabetes, called ketoacidosis) confusion jaundice (yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes) trouble breathing or shallow, rapid breathing If you know or suspect that you have lactic acidosis and have any of these symptoms, call 911 or go to an emergency room right away. Other lactic acidosis symptoms include: exhaustion or extreme fatigue muscle cramps or pain body weakness overall feelings of physical discomfort abdominal pain or discomfort diarrhea decrease in appetite headache rapid heart rate Lactic acidosis has a wide range of underlying causes, including carbon monoxide poisoni Continue reading >>
Lactic Acidosis Clinical Presentation: History, Physical Examination
Author: Kyle J Gunnerson, MD; Chief Editor: Michael R Pinsky, MD, CM, Dr(HC), FCCP, MCCM more... The onset of acidosis may be rapid (ie, within minutes to hours) or progressive (ie, over a period of several days). Lactic acidosis frequently occurs during strenuous exercise in healthy people, bearing no consequence. However, development of lactic acidosis in disease states is ominous, often indicating a critical illness of recent onset. Therefore, a careful history should be obtained to evaluate the underlying pathophysiologic cause of shock that contributed to lactic acidosis. Furthermore, a detailed history of ingestion of various prescription drugs or toxins from the patient or a collateral history from the patient's family should be obtained. The clinical signs and symptoms associated with lactic acidosis are highly dependent on the underlying etiology. No distinctive features are specific for hyperlactatemia. Lactate acidosis is present in patients who are critically ill from hypovolemic, septic, or cardiogenic shock. Lactate acidosis always should be suspected in the presence of elevated anion gap metabolic acidosis. Lactic acidosis is a serious complication of antiretroviral therapy. A history of antiretroviral treatment should be obtained. Children who have a relatively mild form of congenital lactic acidosis may develop firmament metabolic acidosis during an acute illness such as respiratory infection. These patients have a deficiency in the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase, and the stress-induced increases in the glycolytic rate may result in severe metabolic acidosis. D-lactic acidosis, a unique form of lactic acidosis, can occur in patients with jejunoileal bypass or small bowel resection causing short bowel syndrome. In these settings, the glucose and car Continue reading >>
Lactic Acidosis: Causes & Symptoms
Watch short & fun videos Start Your Free Trial Today Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course. Custom Courses are courses that you create from Study.com lessons. Use them just like other courses to track progress, access quizzes and exams, and share content. Organize and share selected lessons with your class. Make planning easier by creating your own custom course. Create a new course from any lesson page or your dashboard. Click "Add to" located below the video player and follow the prompts to name your course and save your lesson. Click on the "Custom Courses" tab, then click "Create course". Next, go to any lesson page and begin adding lessons. Edit your Custom Course directly from your dashboard. Name your Custom Course and add an optional description or learning objective. Create chapters to group lesson within your course. Remove and reorder chapters and lessons at any time. Share your Custom Course or assign lessons and chapters. Share or assign lessons and chapters by clicking the "Teacher" tab on the lesson or chapter page you want to assign. Students' quiz scores and video views will be trackable in your "Teacher" tab. You can share your Custom Course by copying and pasting the course URL. Only Study.com members will be able to access the entire course. In this lesson, we will discuss the medical problem known as lactic acidosis. In addition to defining the condition, by the end of this lesson, you will be aware of some of the common causes and symptoms. Jerry is an athlete who loves to participate in high intensity exercise programs. His workout regimen consists of rapid, high repetition body weight exercises interspersed with cardio training, with little to no rest in between training events. Lactic acidosis is a concern with this particular Continue reading >>
Lactic Acidosis
Lactic acidosis is a medical condition characterized by the buildup of lactate (especially L-lactate) in the body, which results in an excessively low pH in the bloodstream. It is a form of metabolic acidosis, in which excessive acid accumulates due to a problem with the body's metabolism of lactic acid. Lactic acidosis is typically the result of an underlying acute or chronic medical condition, medication, or poisoning. The symptoms are generally attributable to these underlying causes, but may include nausea, vomiting, rapid deep breathing, and generalised weakness. The diagnosis is made on biochemical analysis of blood (often initially on arterial blood gas samples), and once confirmed, generally prompts an investigation to establish the underlying cause to treat the acidosis. In some situations, hemofiltration (purification of the blood) is temporarily required. In rare chronic forms of lactic acidosis caused by mitochondrial disease, a specific diet or dichloroacetate may be used. The prognosis of lactic acidosis depends largely on the underlying cause; in some situations (such as severe infections), it indicates an increased risk of death. Classification[edit] The Cohen-Woods classification categorizes causes of lactic acidosis as:[1] Type A: Decreased tissue oxygenation (e.g., from decreased blood flow) Type B B1: Underlying diseases (sometimes causing type A) B2: Medication or intoxication B3: Inborn error of metabolism Signs and symptoms[edit] Lactic acidosis is commonly found in people who are unwell, such as those with severe heart and/or lung disease, a severe infection with sepsis, the systemic inflammatory response syndrome due to another cause, severe physical trauma, or severe depletion of body fluids.[2] Symptoms in humans include all those of typical m Continue reading >>
What Is A Lactic Acid Blood Test?
It’s a test that measures the amount of lactic acid (also called “lactate”) in your blood. This acid is made in muscle cells and red blood cells. It forms when your body turns food into energy. Your body relies on this energy when its oxygen levels are low. Oxygen levels might drop during an intense workout or when you have an infection or disease. Once you finish your workout or recover from the illness, your lactic acid level tends to go back to normal. But sometimes, it doesn't. Higher-than-normal lactic acid levels can lead to a condition called lactic acidosis. If it’s severe enough, it can upset your body’s pH balance, which indicates the level of acid in your blood. Lactic acidosis can lead to these symptoms: It’s a simple blood test. Your doctor will draw blood from a vein or artery using a needle. In rare cases, he may take a sample of cerebrospinal fluid from your spinal column during a procedure called a spinal tap. Normally, you don’t have to adjust your routine to prepare for the test. If your lactic acid level is normal, you don’t have lactic acidosis. Your cells are making enough oxygen. It also tells your doctor that something other than lactic acidosis is causing your symptoms. He’ll likely order other tests to find out what it is. If your lactic acid level is high, it could be caused by a number of things. Most often, it’s because you have a condition that makes it hard for you to breathe in enough oxygen. Some of these conditions could include: Severe lung disease or respiratory failure Fluid build-up in your lungs Very low red blood cell count (severe anemia) A higher-than-normal lactic acid level in your blood can also be a sign of problems with your metabolism. And, your body might need more oxygen than normal because you have o Continue reading >>
Lactate And Lactic Acidosis
The integrity and function of all cells depend on an adequate supply of oxygen. Severe acute illness is frequently associated with inadequate tissue perfusion and/or reduced amount of oxygen in blood (hypoxemia) leading to tissue hypoxia. If not reversed, tissue hypoxia can rapidly progress to multiorgan failure and death. For this reason a major imperative of critical care is to monitor tissue oxygenation so that timely intervention directed at restoring an adequate supply of oxygen can be implemented. Measurement of blood lactate concentration has traditionally been used to monitor tissue oxygenation, a utility based on the wisdom gleaned over 50 years ago that cells deprived of adequate oxygen produce excessive quantities of lactate. The real-time monitoring of blood lactate concentration necessary in a critical care setting was only made possible by the development of electrode-based lactate biosensors around a decade ago. These biosensors are now incorporated into modern blood gas analyzers and other point-of-care analytical instruments, allowing lactate measurement by non-laboratory staff on a drop (100 L) of blood within a minute or two. Whilst blood lactate concentration is invariably raised in those with significant tissue hypoxia, it can also be raised in a number of conditions not associated with tissue hypoxia. Very often patients with raised blood lactate concentration (hyperlactatemia) also have a reduced blood pH (acidosis). The combination of hyperlactatemia and acidosis is called lactic acidosis. This is the most common cause of metabolic acidosis. The focus of this article is the causes and clinical significance of hyperlactatemia and lactic acidosis. The article begins with a brief overview of normal lactate metabolism. Normal lactate production and Continue reading >>
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Lactic Acidosis
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: What is lactic acidosis and what causes it? Lactic acidosis is the buildup of lactic acid in your blood. Lactic acid is a substance that can build up in your body if you are not getting enough oxygen. It can also occur if you have a condition that causes an increased need for oxygen. The following may cause lactic acidosis: Shock from trauma or severe blood loss Sepsis (a serious condition that occurs when the body overreacts to an infection) Seizures Heart attack or heart failure Severe lung disease Liver or kidney disease Cancer or AIDS Diabetic ketoacidosis Certain medicines such as metformin (diabetes medicine) or some HIV medicines Intense exercise What are the signs and symptoms of lactic acidosis? Muscular weakness Breathing faster than normal Nausea and vomiting Coma How is lactic acidosis diagnosed and treated? Lactic acidosis is diagnosed with a blood test. The blood test measures the amount of lactate in your blood. Treatment depends on the cause of your lactic acidosis. The condition that caused lactic acidosis will need to be treated. When should I contact my healthcare provider? Your symptoms return. You have questions or concerns about your condition or care. Care Agreement You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your caregivers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment. The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you. © 2017 Truven Health Analytics Inc. Information is for End User's use only and Continue reading >>
A Side Effect You Should Know About
The glucose-lowering medication metformin (Glucophage) could cause lactic acidosis if your kidneys and liver are not working efficiently. Lactic acidosis is when high levels build up in the blood of a substance called lactic acid — a chemical that is normally produced by your body in small amounts and removed by your liver and kidneys. The risk of lactic acidosis goes up if you: have heart failure or a lung ailment have kidney or liver problems drink alcohol heavily In these cases, you might not be able to take metformin. If you don't have one of these problems, you are at a very low risk for developing lactic acidosis from metformin. You should, however, contact your doctor immediately if you suddenly develop any of these symptoms of lactic acidosis: diarrhea fast and shallow breathing muscle pain or cramping weakness tiredness or unusual sleepiness You should also let your doctor know if you get the flu or any illness that results in severe vomiting, diarrhea, and/or fever, or if your intake of fluids becomes significantly reduced. Severe dehydration can affect your kidney or liver function and increase your risk of lactic acidosis from metformin. Continue reading >>
Lactic Acidosis
Patient professional reference Professional Reference articles are written by UK doctors and are based on research evidence, UK and European Guidelines. They are designed for health professionals to use. You may find one of our health articles more useful. Description Lactic acidosis is a form of metabolic acidosis due to the inadequate clearance of lactic acid from the blood. Lactate is a byproduct of anaerobic respiration and is normally cleared from the blood by the liver, kidney and skeletal muscle. Lactic acidosis occurs when the body's buffering systems are overloaded and tends to cause a pH of ≤7.25 with plasma lactate ≥5 mmol/L. It is usually caused by a state of tissue hypoperfusion and/or hypoxia. This causes pyruvic acid to be preferentially converted to lactate during anaerobic respiration. Hyperlactataemia is defined as plasma lactate >2 mmol/L. Classification Cohen and Woods devised the following system in 1976 and it is still widely used:[1] Type A: lactic acidosis occurs with clinical evidence of tissue hypoperfusion or hypoxia. Type B: lactic acidosis occurs without clinical evidence of tissue hypoperfusion or hypoxia. It is further subdivided into: Type B1: due to underlying disease. Type B2: due to effects of drugs or toxins. Type B3: due to inborn or acquired errors of metabolism. Epidemiology The prevalence is very difficult to estimate, as it occurs in critically ill patients, who are not often suitable subjects for research. It is certainly a common occurrence in patients in high-dependency areas of hospitals.[2] The incidence of symptomatic hyperlactataemia appears to be rising as a consequence of the use of antiretroviral therapy to treat HIV infection. It appears to increase in those taking stavudine (d4T) regimens.[3] Causes of lactic acid Continue reading >>
Lactic Acidosis
The buildup of lactic acid in the bloodstream. This medical emergency most commonly results from oxygen deprivation in the body’s tissues, impaired liver function, respiratory failure, or cardiovascular disease. It can also be caused by a class of oral diabetes drugs called biguanides, which includes metformin (brand name Glucophage). Another biguanide called phenformin was pulled from the market in the United States in 1977 because of an unacceptably high rate of lactic acidosis associated with its use. Concerns about lactic acidosis also delayed the introduction of metformin to the U.S. market until 1995, despite the fact that it had been widely used for years in other countries. There have been reports of lactic acidosis occurring in people taking metformin, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration estimates that lactic acidosis occurs in 5 out of every 100,000 people who use metformin for any length of time. However, this risk is much lower than it was in people taking phenformin, and it is not clear whether the episodes of lactic acidosis associated with metformin have actually been due to metformin use. In fact, the lactic acidosis could have been explained by the person’s diabetes and related medical conditions. Nonetheless, diabetes experts recommend that metformin not be used in people with congestive heart failure, kidney disease, or liver disease. They also recommend that it be discontinued (at least temporarily) in people undergoing certain medical imaging tests called contrast studies. Symptoms of lactic acidosis include feeling very weak or tired or having unusual muscle pain or unusual stomach discomfort. Continue reading >>
Treatment Of Lactic Acidosis.
Severe lactic acidosis is often associated with poor prognosis. Recognition and correction of the underlying process is the major step in the treatment of this serious condition. Intravenous administration of sodium bicarbonate has been the mainstay in the treatment of lactic acidosis. Aggressive use of this therapeutic modality, however, can lead to serious complications and should therefore be considered with caution. Peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis provide large amounts of alkali without causing the hypernatremia or hypervolemia commonly associated with bicarbonate infusion. Peritoneal dialysis with bicarbonate-based dialysate, in particular, appears to be an ideal means of delivering physiologic buffer. Administration of methylene blue was initially thought to increase lactate metabolism by altering the cellular oxidative state. Its subsequent clinical use, however, showed little efficacy. Sodium nitroprusside has been advocated for the treatment of some forms of lactic acidosis as a method of alleviating regional hypoperfusion. Insulin therapy has been found to be quite useful in the treatment of phenformin-associated lactic acidosis and is recommended in this setting. Since dichloroacetate activates pyruvate dehydrogenase and enhances lactate metabolism, it may be a useful adjunct in the treatment of lactic acidosis. Continue reading >>
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Metformin And Fatal Lactic Acidosis
Publications Published: July 1998 Information on this subject has been updated. Read the most recent information. Dr P Pillans,former Medical Assessor, Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring (CARM), Dunedin Metformin is a useful anti-hyperglycaemic agent but significant mortality is associated with drug-induced lactic acidosis. Significant renal and hepatic disease, alcoholism and conditions associated with hypoxia (eg. cardiac and pulmonary disease, surgery) are contraindications to the use of metformin. Other risk factors for metformin-induced lactic acidosis are sepsis, dehydration, high dosages and increasing age. Metformin remains a major reported cause of drug-associated mortality in New Zealand. Of the 12 cases of lactic acidosis associated with metformin reported to CARM since 1977, 2 occurred in the last year and 8 cases had a fatal outcome. Metformin useful but small risk of potentially fatal lactic acidosis Metformin is a useful therapeutic agent for obese non-insulin dependent diabetics and those whose glycaemia cannot be controlled by sulphonylurea monotherapy. Lactic acidosis is an uncommon but potentially fatal adverse effect. The reported frequency of lactic acidosis is 0.06 per 1000 patient-years, mostly in patients with predisposing factors.1 Examples of metformin-induced lactic acidosis cases reported to CARM include: A 69-year-old man, with renal and cardiac disease, was prescribed metformin due to failing glycaemic control on glibenclamide monotherapy. He was well for six weeks, then developed lactic acidosis and died within 3 days. Post-surgical lactic acidosis caused the death of a 70-year-old man whose metformin was not withdrawn at the time of surgery. A 56-year-old woman, with no predisposing disease, died from lactic acidosis following major Continue reading >>
