What is PH? How is it measured?

pH is actually an abbreviation for potential of hydrogen. What this really means is the level of acid or base of a substance. pH ranges from 0 - 14, with a pH of 7 being considered neutral. A pH of 7 would mean that the solution is neither an acid or a base (alkaline). The more acid the solution, the lower the number; the more alkaline the solution, the higher the number. There is a ten fold difference between each unit. For example, a pH of 6 is 10 times more acidotic than a pH of 7. Therefore, a pH of 5 would be 100 times more acidotic than a pH of 7.

With dialysate, pH is determined usually with a hand held meter or with visual strips. pH should be around 7. pH of pure water is 7.0; pH of blood plasma is 7.35 -7.45.

Hope this helps!
Carol

What happens if there is too much PH or too little?

Your dialysate will not be correct. It will be too acidotic or too alkalotic to work correctly. If there was blood exposure when the dialysate was too acidotic or alkalotic, hemolysis or crenation (rupture of red blood cells, or shrinking of the red blood cells) could occur.

Carol

My tech says that my PH runs about 7.7. How would I know if that is the correct level for me?

Really? Is this refering to dialysate pH? Or your serum pH? In either case, this seems a bit high. I would expect to see your dialysate pH around 7 - 7.4 and your blood (serum) pH between 7.35 - 7.45.

The correct (final product) pH can be found on the manufacturer's label on the dialysate containers.

Carol

Some facilities are now running higher than standard bicarbonate levels which would result in a higher pH than is standard. A friend of mine gave me a copy of an abstract by Dr F. John Gennari entitled Acid-Base Balance in Dialysis Patients. It was published in Seminars in Dialysis - Vol 13, No 4 (July-August) 200 pp. 235-239. I have only quickly glaced at it but it seems rather interesting.

Interesting. I don't receive Seminars, but I will obtain a copy and read the article.

Thanks for the input!
Carol

Is pH measured in the beginning and the end of tx?

Jack:

What was your question about dialysate? That one word only appeared the post before this one; I simply deleted it so that it would not take up space.

pH is generally measured before initiation of treatment and after any dialysate changes.

Carol