Nephrology

Bicarbonate Deficit Calculator

Calculates the quantity of sodium bicarbonate needed to correct metabolic acidosis.

Parameters

mEq/L
mEq/L

Bicarbonate Deficit Calculator Result

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FormulaBicarbonate Deficit (mEq) = 0.5 × Weight (kg) × [Target HCO₃ - Current HCO₃]

Clinical Pearls

Guides replacement in life-threatening metabolic acidosis (pH < 7.10) where bicarbonate therapy can improve hemodynamics and catecholamine responsiveness.

Limitations

The volume of distribution of bicarbonate expands significantly in severe acidosis (can increase from 0.5 up to 0.8-1.0 of body weight), so the true deficit may exceed this estimate.