How Basic Can You Be?

[...]had arterial blood gas measurements been performed, the pH would have been approximately 8.00 and thus the highest nonlethal recorded pH in the medical literature. [...]hypovolemia increased renal H+ secretion and HCO3− reabsorption via activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone pathway. [...]hypochloremia decreased bicarbonate secretion in the distal nephron by reducing the activity of the bicarbonate–chloride exchange transporter. Metabolic Acidosis Our patient’s third acid–base disturbance was a lactic acidosis. Because the serum chloride concentration was below the detectable limit (