In metabolic acidosis, the serum potassium concentration tends to:

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Study for the Ciulla Clinical Chemistry Test. Enhance your knowledge with flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Prepare for the exam with comprehensive study materials and detailed explanations for each question.

Multiple Choice

In metabolic acidosis, the serum potassium concentration tends to:

Explanation:
In metabolic acidosis, hydrogen ions accumulate outside the cells. To maintain electroneutrality and buffering within the cell, H+ moves into cells while potassium ions move out into the bloodstream. This transcellular shift raises the extracellular (serum) potassium concentration. A parallel factor is that acidosis often impairs insulin activity or availability, reducing the typical cellular uptake of potassium and further increasing serum K+. So, the immediate and most consistent effect is an increase in serum potassium.

In metabolic acidosis, hydrogen ions accumulate outside the cells. To maintain electroneutrality and buffering within the cell, H+ moves into cells while potassium ions move out into the bloodstream. This transcellular shift raises the extracellular (serum) potassium concentration. A parallel factor is that acidosis often impairs insulin activity or availability, reducing the typical cellular uptake of potassium and further increasing serum K+. So, the immediate and most consistent effect is an increase in serum potassium.

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