Psychiatria pre prax 6/2009

The psychosis induced by metabolic alkalosis

Psychiatric symptoms secondary to metabolic alkalosis, particularly psychotic symptoms, have been reported very rarely in the literature . The psychosis induced by metabolic alkalosis may occur suddenly in patients with negative psychiatric history and may be found among chronically psychotic population. Symptoms of psychosis may appear dramatically, unanticipated by family or staff. It should be added to the various causes of organic psychosis (1). Illustrative case report presents the case of 38-year old patient, treated at the psychiatry department for the first time in his life because of psychosis induced by metabolic alkalosis. The case history of the patient contained several factors that have influenced the rise of the disorder. The clinical presentation was dominated by religious delusions and hallucinations that had an impact on the patient‘s behaviour and affectivity. We considered the improvement of psychotic symptoms was depended on the recovery of compensatory systems of the acid-base equilibrium.

Keywords: the psychosis, metabolic alkalosis