RENAL TUBULAR ACIDOSIS (RTA)-APPROACH
SUMMARY
1. Bloods will show hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis (NAGMA): low HCO3- & high Cl-
2. Calculate AG - if > 13, then this is HAGMA.
3. Type 1 RTA: alkaline urine & low serum K+
4. Type 4 RTA: alkaline urine & high serum K+
5. Type 2 RTA: diagnosis of exclusion!
Reference(s)
Wilkinson, I., Furmedge, D. and Sinharay, R. (2017). Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Get it on Amazon.
Feather, A., Randall, D. and Waterhouse, M. (2020). Kumar And Clark’s Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. S.L.: Elsevier Health Sciences. Get it on Amazon.
Hannaman, R. A., Bullock, L., Hatchell, C. A., & Yoffe, M. (2016). Internal medicine review core curriculum, 2017-2018. CO Springs, CO: MedStudy.
Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].