Renal action of acetazolamide in extracellular alkalosis of K⁺ deficiency

¹ Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida

Acetazolamide was tested in the extracellular alkalosis of K⁺ depletion, a metabolic situation which presumably elicits a general intracellular acidosis, demonstrated for both muscle and kidney. The renal effect of drug on HCO₃^– excretion was markedly less than normal despite elevated plasma HCO₃^– concentration. These experiments, together with those on metabolic and respiratory acidosis, suggest that with decreased intracellular renal pH, the role of carbonic anhydrase in renal acidification and HCO₃^– reabsorption is reduced.