Lactic acidosis is an acid-base imbalance frequently found in critically ill patients. It is associated with a poor prognosis. Despite the substantial body of evidence that critical levels of acidemia have several adverse effects on cell function, the use of sodium bicarbonate to treat lactic acidosis in critically ill patients remains highly controversial. This article aimed at: 1) analyzing the main differences between hyperchloremic and organic acidoses, with high anion gap; 2) comparing the risks associated with critical levels of acidemia with those associated with the use of sodium bicarbonate; 3) critically analyzing the literature evidence about the use of sodium bicarbonate for the treatment of lactic acidosis in critically ill patients, with an emphasis on randomized control trials in human beings; and 4) providing a rationale for the judicious use of sodium bicarbonate in that situation.
lactic acidosis; diabetic ketoacidosis; sodium bicarbonate; septic shock
