Severity of Metabolic Acidosis as a Determinant of Bicarbonate Requirements

Garella et al. (1973) studied metabolic acidosis (n=16). sodium bicarbonate vs. different baseline plasma bicarbonate concentrations was evaluated on increase in plasma bicarbonate concentration. Sodium bicarbonate (2.5 mmol/kg) produced smaller plasma concentration increments in dogs with low baseline bicarbonate (2.8 mmol/L) compared to normal (5.0 mmol/L) or high (5.6 mmol/L) levels.