Can Renal Tubular Acidosis be Treated?
Yes. In all cases, the first goal of therapy is to neutralize acid in the blood, but different treatments may be needed to address the different underlying causes of acidosis. Types of Renal Tubular Acidosis At one time, doctors divided renal tubular acidosis into four types. • Type 1 is also called classic distal renal tubular acidosis. “Distal,” which means distant, refers to the point in the urine-forming tube where the defect occurs. It is relatively distant from the point where fluid from the blood enters the tiny tube, or tubule, that collects fluid and wastes to form urine. • Type 2 is called proximal renal tubular acidosis. The word “proximal,” which means near, indicates that the defect is closer to the point where fluid and wastes from the blood enter the tubule. • Type 3 is rarely used as a classification today because it is now thought to be a combination of type 1 and type 2. • Type 4 renal tubular acidosis is caused by another defect in the distal tubule, but it is differ
