Lactic acidosis

Is a condition caused by the buildup of lactic acid in the body. It leads to acidification of the blood (acidosis), and is considered a distinct form of metabolic acidosis.

Condition where lactate levels are elevated above normal; occurs in the muscles of exercising people, in uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, and also in patients with mitochondrial disease due to one or more mutations in the mitochondrial genome. Lactic acidosis can also develop in patients who have taken prescription drugs that the kidney cannot clear rapidly enough or whose liver is not functioning normally.

Lactic acidosis is a common metabolic abnormality and biochemical marker for many different hereditary neurometabolic disorders associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Excessive lactic acid production may be primary or secondary and occurs in many genetic and nongenetic associated conditions. This abnormality gives rise to acute episodes of drowsiness, stupor, and coma, as well as to neurological dysfunction. Episodes tend to be recurrent. Between attacks, children may be healthy or mildly affected or display evidence of neurological or multisystem abnormalities.