Acetylsalicylic acid (C_9 H_8 O_4), commonly known as aspirin, has been used for
ID: 81566 • Letter: A
Question
Acetylsalicylic acid (C_9 H_8 O_4), commonly known as aspirin, has been used for over a hundred years as an effective pain reliever. Aspirin works by suppressing the production of prostaglandins, chemicals that enhance sensitivity to pain. A person is considered to have acidosis if the blood pH falls below the normal value of 7.4. The lower limit of blood pH is approximately 6.8, below which a person could go into shock or die. How much aspirin must be consumed for blood pH to fall below this lower limit? State your assumptions.Explanation / Answer
Being an acidic molecule, Aspirin ingestion normally drops the blood pH. This drop in blood pH is usually regularized by the body, back to the normal blood pH of 7.4, provided, other body organs such as the liver and kidneys are functioning properly and provided the dose of Aspirin is within the normal prescribed range. For an adult with fever, the normal Aspirin dose range is 80 mg/kg/day. This dose is expected to cause a pH change which can normally be normalized back to the normal plasma pH range.
However, according to medical science a dose of 125 mg/kg/day or higher, if ingested by a patient, even if normal can cause severe plasma acidosis and may result in severe condition of plasma pH dropping below 6.8.
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