• 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 32  (11) , 532-537
Abstract
A well known complication following [human] surgical intervention is metabolic alkalosis. In general this acid-base disturbance is treated in intensive care units by application of arginine-hydrochloride. In an experimental study on rats in vivo the influence of this substance on the acid-base status of the extra- and intracellular body compartment was determined. The extracellular HCO3- decreased but there was nearly no influence on intracellular buffering. The mean whole body pHi, an overall estimate of the intracellular pH as complementary to the in vivo determined extracellular plasma pH, was determined with DMO (5,5-dimethyl-2,4-oxazolidinedione) and shown to increase significantly after application of arginine-hydrochloride. Apparently, arginine-hydrochloride should not be used for clinical therapy of metabolic alkalosis.