kidney and urinary tract disorders
Renal Tubular Acidosis (RTA)
Introduction
In renal tubular acidosis, the kidney tubules malfunction, resulting in excess levels of acid in the blood. The tubules of the kidneys that remove acid from the blood are damaged when a person takes certain drugs or has another disorder that affects the kidneys. Often muscle weakness and diminished reflexes occur when the disorder has been present for a long time. Blood tests show high acid levels and a disturbance of the body's Overview of Acid-Base Balance None Some people drink a solution of baking soda every day to neutralize the acid. (See also Introduction to Disorders of Kidney Tubules .) To function normally, body acids and alkalis (such as bicarbonate) must be balanced. Normally, the breakdown of food produces acids that circulate in the blood. The kidneys remove acids from the blood and excrete them in the urine. This function is predominantly carried out by the Introduction to Disorders of Kidney Tubules . In renal tubular acidosis, the kidney tubules malfunction in one of two ways that tend to increase acids in the blood ( Too little of the acids the body produces are excreted, so acid levels in blood increase. Too little of the bicarbonate that filters through the kidney tubules is reabsorbed, so too much bicarbonate is lost in the urine. In renal tubular acidosis, the balance of electrolytes is also affected. Renal tubular acidosis may lead to the following problems: Low or high potassium levels in the blood Calcium deposits in the kidneys, which may lead to Stones in the Urinary Tract None Dehydration None Painful softening and bending of the bones (osteomalacia or Hypophosphatemic Rickets ) Renal tubular acidosis may be a permanent, inherited disorder in children. However, it may be an intermittent problem in people who have other disorders, such as Diabetes Mellitus (DM) , If renal tubular acidosis persists, it may damage the kidney tubules and progress to Chronic Kidney Disease . There are four types of renal tubular acidosis, types 1 through 4. The types are distinguished by the particular abnormality in kidney function that causes acidosis. All four types are uncommon, but type 4 is the most common and type 3 is extremely rare. 