Citation

Fitzgibbons LJ, Snoey ER. J. Emerg. Med. 1999; 17(1): 57-61.

Affiliation

Department of Emergency Medicine, Alameda County Medical Center, Oakland, California, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9950389

Abstract

Oral ingestion of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) has been used for decades as a home remedy for acid indigestion. Excessive bicarbonate ingestion places patients at risk for a variety of metabolic derangements including metabolic alkalosis, hypokalemia, hypernatremia, and even hypoxia. The clinical presentation is highly variable but can include seizures, dysrhythmias, and cardiopulmonary arrest. We present two cases of severe metabolic alkalosis in patients with unsuspected antacid overdose. The presentation and pathophysiology of antacid-related metabolic alkalosis is reviewed.

Language: en