Increased carbon dioxide or decreased bicarbonate levels can create an acidic state in the body, called acidosis . Decreased carbon dioxide or increased bicarbonate levels can create an excess alkaline state, called alkalosis . If the defect is caused by changes in carbon dioxide levels, it is a respiratory acidosis or respiratory alkalosis . If the defect is caused by changes in bicarbonate levels, it is a metabolic acidosis or metabolic alkalosis. The respiratory system regulates the levels of carbon dioxide through changes in the breathing rate.
Carbon dioxide is lost with faster breathing and increased when breathing slows.
This causes a reduction in the reabsorption of bicarbonate into the bloodstream. Type I RTA occurs in about 1 out of 10,000 people. The exact cause of the defect varies, including inherited and acquired conditions. Renal tubular acidosis causes disorders of the body related to the loss of bicarbonate and inability to excrete hydrogen. The body attempts to maintain an electro-chemical balance between positively charged and negatively charged molecules.