Acid-base disorders and in particular metabolic acidosis are very common in critically ill patients and contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality. We shed light on the most common causes, the pathophysiology and treatments. Particular attention will be paid to the common practice of substituting sodium bicarbonate in the light of recent study results.
Keywords: Acid-base imbalance; Anion gap; Bicarbonates; Dialysis; Kidney.