Britannica AI Icon

Quick Summary

Renal acidosis is a condition where the kidneys are unable to properly excrete hydrogen ions, leading to an abnormally high level of acidity in the body fluids, particularly the blood. This can occur as part of general kidney failure or as a specific disease of the renal tubules.12

There are two main types of acidosis:
* Respiratory acidosis: Caused by insufficient excretion of carbon dioxide by the lungs.1
* Metabolic acidosis: Occurs when acids are produced too quickly or when the kidneys/intestines excrete too much alkali.1

Both forms can be life-threatening and require prompt medical attention.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.