A physician who is providing care for a 71-year-old male client with a recent diagnosis of renal failure and an acid-base imbalance is explaining some of the underlying etiology of the man's diagnoses to him and his family. Which of the following phenomena would most accurately underlie the teaching that the physician provides?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The kidneys have the primary responsibility for maintaining body pH by eliminating excess hydrogen ions from the body, a function that blood buffer systems and respiratory control are incapable of. Hydrogen ions must be eliminated, not retained, and bicarbonate must be produced as part of buffer action, not secreted.

A Physician Who Is Providing Care for a 71-Year-Old Male