Correction of severe metabolic acidosis: a physiological approach.

1 - Five patients with severe metabolic acidosis secondary to methanol poisoning were studied before and after receiving 6.7 to 10 mEq NaHCO3/kg body weight. 2 - Two thirds of the infused HCO3- left the extracellular space and, since its apparent volume of distribution was much larger than under normal conditions, it largely overestimated HCO3- needs.