What increases the pH value?

An elevated pH value means that the blood is too alkaline or not acidic enough. The technical term for this pH increase is alkalosis. Alkalosis can have various reasons.

Roughly speaking, there are two different reasons for an increased pH value.

Changed breathing: The first cause is a change in breathing. Alkalosis caused by altered breathing is called “respiratory alkalosis”.
The causal change in breathing is hyperventilation, i.e. very fast and deep breathing. In this form of breathing, too much carbon dioxide is exhaled. Carbon dioxide, dissolved in water, is an acid, so increased loss causes the pH to rise.
Metabolic changes: The second cause of alkalosis is the metabolism.
The resulting alkalosis is called “metabolic alkalosis”. Disturbances in the salt balance, such as a lowered potassium level, lead to an alkaline metabolic state. Permanent or violent vomiting leads to a loss of acid stomach acid and an increased pH value.

Drugs can also lead to an alkaline pH value. Antacids, i.e. acid-binding medications taken for acid-related stomach complaints and heartburn, lead to an increased pH value by binding acid in the stomach.

The pH value in the blood must be kept constant to maintain organ functions. Derailments occur in severe diseases.

If the pH value changes significantly, treatment in an intensive care unit may be necessary. Since the body normally keeps the pH value constant within a narrow range, no measures need to be taken to increase the pH. A slightly lowered pH caused by a change in breathing is compensated by the body by changing metabolic processes.

If the disturbance of breathing continues or the compensatory capacity is used up, the pH drops again and life-threatening pH values can occur. However, if a lowered pH is caused by changes in metabolism, such as ketoacidosis in the context of diabetes mellitus, the body reacts with hyperventilation to breathe out carbon dioxide and thus increase the pH again.An increased pH value makes it more difficult for oxygen to be released from the blood to the tissue, as the oxygen is more tightly bound to the red blood pigment of the red blood cells (erythrocytes). The result is an undersupply of oxygen to the tissue. If the body’s compensatory mechanisms fail, the organs are not sufficiently supplied and can be damaged. A further consequence is a reduction in the potassium level in the blood, cardiac arrhythmia and general muscle weakness can occur.