Acidosis Assessment Questionnaire

Questions Your Doctor May Ask - and Why!

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques to assess the symptom: Acidosis. These will include a physical examination and possibly diagnostic tests. (Note: A physical exam is always done, diagnostic tests may or may not be performed depending on the suspected condition) Your doctor will ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to openly share any pertinent information to help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis.

It is also very important to bring an up-to-date list of all of your all medical conditions, medications including dosages, and names of numbers of any specialist you see.

Create your printable checklist by answering questions that your doctor may ask below:

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What medications do you take?
Why: Certain medications can cause acidosis e.g. acetazolamide, metformin.
Recent history of starvation?
Recent alcohol ingestion?
Recent poisoning?
Why: e.g. ethylene glycol, methanol, salicylate.
Have you ever had a "fainting attack" (faint, vasovagal episode)?
Why: What is commonly called a "faint" or vasovagal episode can be a cause of some minor metabolic acidosis.
Have you suffered any trauma or major blood loss?
Why: Trauma can result in blood loss (hemorrhage) which can result in metabolic acidosis because of hypovolemic shock.
Have you suffered a large burn?
Why: Burns can cause your body to lose a large amount of fluid and result in some netabolic acidosis.
Have you had vomiting, diarrhea or a fistula?
Why: These can all cause your body to lose large amounts of fluids and cause metabolic acidosis.
Do you have any large areas of inflammation or wound?
Why: These can disrupt the amount of fluid available for your body to use for circulation, and thus can result in metabolic acidosis.
Do you suffer from any heart disease or have any new chest pain?
Why: Many different diseases can cause your heart to acutely fail to work as well as it otherwise should. Any acute circumstance of inability for your heart to effectively circulate blood through your lungs and body can result in metabolic acidosis secondary to cardiogenic shock. Conditions which can cause this include.
Have you had any recent infection?
Why: In the most dire of circumstances an infection can overwhelm the body and cause metabolic acidosis secondary to septic shock/sepsis.
Have you ever been diagnosed with Addison's disease, recently taken any steroid medications, or recently felt unwell in any way?
Why: Addison's disease is an endocrine condition which can acutely cause metabolic acidosis and metabolic shock. Its features are quite general and may include weakness, anorexia, weight loss, abdominalpain$, nausea, confusion, depression, arthralgia, constipation, myalgia or dizziness.
Are you a diabetic, and have you recently taken any insulin?
Why: Diabetics are prone to acute situations of metabolic acidosis, particularly when they have not administered as much insulin as their body requires i.e. a normal dose of insulin needs to be increased during times of physical stress such as infection or illness. On the other hand, those with recently diagnosed insulin-dependant diabetes mellitus may inadvertently administer too much insulin and so induce a metabolic acidosis and hypoglycemic metabolic acidosis.
Do you have any known allergies, have you recently begun taking any new medications, had a bee/insect sting, or eaten any foods which you do not usually eat?
Why: These are all important and unpredictable causes of immune-mediated shock and metabolic acidosis. Your most recent activities are very important in trying to find out the cause of shock and secondary metabolic acidosis.
Have you ever suffered from kidney problems or renal failure?
Why: Renal failure and even lesser degrees of kidney dysfunction can result in metabolic acidosis.
Have you noticed any recent changes in your urine, its volume or colour?
Why: Changes in the colour and volume of urine passed can be indicators of acute renal failure or kidney dysfunction which can cause metabolic acidosis.
Do you, and have you recently consumed alcohol?
Why: Alcohol, particularly in excessive amounts can cause a metabolic acidosis.
Do you take any medications? When and in what dose have you been taking them?
Why: Some medications, even some common ones, can result in metabolic acidosis.
Have you accidentally consumed any poisons, chemicals or eaten anything with a very odd taste?
Why: There are some toxins which can cause metabolic acidosis, including ethylene glycol which is found in "antifreeze", and methanol which is found in methylated spirits.
Do you, or have you recently suffered from any respiratory, chest or lung problems?
Why: Any condition which can result in a degree of respiratory failure can also cause a respiratory acidosis. These conditions include pneumonia, pulmonary oedema, pulmonary embolism, asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosis, sleep apnea and kyphoscoliosis.
Any symptoms of diabetes (See Diabetes-like symptoms)
Are there any symptoms of kidney disease (see kidney symptoms)
Are there any symptoms of lung disease (see lung symptoms)
Are there any symptoms of sepsis (see sepsis)
Is there any diarrhea (see diarrhea)

Conditions listing medical symptoms: Acidosis:

The following list of conditions have 'Acidosis' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

Select from the following alphabetical view of conditions which include a symptom of Acidosis or choose View All.

View All A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W #

Conditions listing medical complications: Acidosis:

The following list of medical conditions have 'Acidosis' or similar listed as a medical complication in our database.

» Next page: Types of Acidosis

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