Metabolic Acidosis and Alkalosis
The terms metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis refer to all other abnormalities of acid-base balance besides those caused by excess or insufficient carbon dioxide in the body fluids. Use of the word “metabolic” in this instance is unfortunate, because carbon dioxide is also a metabolic product. Yet, by convention, carbonic acid resulting from dissolved carbon dioxide is called a respiratory acid while any other acid in the body, whether it be formed by metabolism or simply ingested by the person, is called a metabolic acid.