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Sodium bicarbonate Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on May 25, 2023.

Applies to sodium bicarbonate: granule, solution, tablet.

Serious side effects of Sodium bicarbonate

Along with its needed effects, sodium bicarbonate may cause some unwanted effects. Although the following side effects occur very rarely when this medicine is taken as recommended, they may be more likely to occur if it is taken: in large doses, for a long time, or by patients with kidney disease.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur while taking sodium bicarbonate:

Other side effects of Sodium bicarbonate

Some side effects of sodium bicarbonate may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common

For Healthcare Professionals

Applies to sodium bicarbonate: compounding powder, intravenous solution, oral tablet.

Metabolic

Metabolic side effects have included metabolic alkalosis, hypernatremia/hyperosmolarity, hypochloremia, and hypokalemia. These effects have been associated with rapid or prolonged administration. Side effects have rarely included intravascular volume expansion with resultant hyporeninemia and hypoaldosteronemia.[Ref]

Chronic ingestion of bicarbonate may rarely cause intravascular volume expansion with resultant hyporeninemia and hypoaldosteronemia. In this rare circumstance, the serum potassium may be elevated.

Rare cases of sodium bicarbonate abuse have been associated with features of Munchausen syndrome. These patients often present with an otherwise unexplained hypokalemic hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis.

Hypernatremia may cause water retention, weight gain, and edema, which may be important in some patients with congestive heart failure, renal insufficiency, or severe liver disease.[Ref]

Respiratory

The respiratory drive may be suppressed after bicarbonate administration due to increased venous C02 concentration. Without adequate ventilation, worsened systemic acidosis could develop.[Ref]

Respiratory side effects have included suppressed respiratory drive.[Ref]

Nervous system

Nervous system side effects have included irritability, tetany, mental stupor, coma, and intraventricular hemorrhage.[Ref]

Rapid infusion of hyperosmolar sodium bicarbonate has been associated with intraventricular hemorrhage in the pediatric literature.

Irritability and tetany have been associated with sodium bicarbonate-induced alkalosis or hypernatremia.

Due to greater permeability of the blood-brain barrier to hydrogen than to bicarbonate, the pH of cerebrospinal fluid may significantly decrease during sodium bicarbonate administration, which can cause mental stupor or coma.[Ref]

Local

Local side effects have included IV site pain, venous irritation, and extravasation. Cellulitis, tissue necrosis, ulceration, or skin sloughing have possibly been the result of extravasation. A slow rate of administration of a properly diluted solution into a large bore needle and vein is recommended if IV administration is necessary.[Ref]

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular side effects have included decreased cardiac contractility possibly resulting from infusion of sodium bicarbonate in patients with severe acidosis.[Ref]

Experimentally, the administration of intravenous hypertonic sodium bicarbonate has been associated with increased serum osmolality, decreased ionized serum calcium (which is associated with decreased myocardial contractility), and peripheral vasodilation. Some experts recommend invasive hemodynamic monitoring in acidotic patients before the administration of bicarbonate.[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

Gastrointestinal side effects associated with oral administration have rarely included gastric rupture.[Ref]

As an antacid, sodium bicarbonate, especially after excess food or liquid, can cause excess gas release (when combined with gastric acid). The mortality associated with gastric rupture is as high as 65%.[Ref]

Renal

Urinary alkalinization from bicarbonate can cause a falsely positive colorimetric assay for protein.[Ref]

Renal side effects have rarely included "False proteinuria".[Ref]

References

1. Thomas SH, Stone CK. Acute toxicity from baking soda ingestion. Am J Emerg Med. 1994;12:57-9.

2. Oster JR, Perez GO, Rosen MS. Hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism after chronic sodium bicarbonate abuse. Arch Intern Med. 1976;136:1179-80.

3. Kennedy S. Sodium bicarbonate abuse in anorexia nervosa. J Clin Psychiatry. 1988;49:168.

4. Wu DJ, Mifune J, Taga K, Hifumi S, Takahashi Y, Yamashida S, Nishioka S, Murakami T, Tanaka T. Anginal attack following a sodium bicarbonate and hydrocortisone injection. Jpn Heart J. 1990;31:109-13.

5. Hazard PB, Griffin JP. Sodium bicarbonate in the management of systemic acidosis. South Med J. 1980;73:1339-42,1348.

6. Linford SM, James HD. Sodium bicarbonate abuse: a case report. Br J Psychiatry. 1986;149:502-3.

7. Product Information. Sodium Bicarbonate (sodium bicarbonate). Astra-Zeneca Pharmaceuticals. 2001;PROD.

8. Cooper DJ, Walley KR, Wiggs BR, Russell JA. Bicarbonate does not improve hemodynamics in critically ill patients who have lactic acidosisis. Ann Intern Med. 1990;112:492-8.

9. Arieff AI. Managing metabolic acidosis: update on the sodium bicarbonate controversy. J Crit Illn. 1993;8:224-46.

10. Griffith J, White P. Acute asthma precipitated by accidental inhalation of sodium bicarbonate granules (Carbex). Clin Radiol. 1994;49:435.

11. Okada H, Inoue T, Takahira S, Sugahara S, Nakamoto H, Suzuki H. Daytime hypertension, sleep apnea and metabolic alkalosis in a haemodialysis patient - the result of sodium bicarbonate abuse. Nephrol Dialysis Transplant. 1999;14:452-4.

12. Papile LA, Burstein J, Burstein R, Koffler H, Koops B. Relationship of intravenous sodium bicarbonate infusions and cerebral intraventricular hemorrhage. J Pediatr. 1978;93:834-6.

13. Lou HC, Lassen NA, Fris-Hansen B. Decreased cerebral blood flow after administration of sodium bicarbonate in the distressed newborn infant. Acta Neurol Scand. 1978;57:239-47.

14. Speer ME, Rudolph AJ. Calcification of superficial scalp veins secondary to intravenous infusion of sodium bicarbonate and calcium chloride. Cutis. 1983;32:65-6.

15. Prakash P, Saxena S. Complication of sodium bicarbonate therapy--a case report. Indian J Pediatr. 1978;45:277-8.

16. Cooper DJ, Worthley LI. Adverse haemodynamic effects of sodium bicarbonate in metabolic acidosis. Intensive Care Med. 1987;13:425-7.

17. Rao RS, Graver ML, Urivetsky M, Scharf SM. Mechanisms of myocardial depression after bolus injection of sodium bicarbonate. J Crit Care. 1994;9:255-61.

18. Bleske BE, Warren EW, Rice TL, Gilligan LJ, Tait AR. Effect of high-dose sodium bicarbonate on the vasopressor effects of epinephrine during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Pharmacotherapy. 1995;15:660-4.

19. Mastrangelo MR, Moore EW. Spontaneous rupture of the stomach in a healthy adult man after sodium bicarbonate ingestion. Ann Intern Med. 1984;101:649-50.

20. Brismar B, Strandberg A, Wiklund B. Stomach rupture following ingestion of sodium bicarbonate. Acta Chir Scand Suppl. 1986;530:97-9.

21. Lazebnik N, Iellin A, Michowitz M. Spontaneous rupture of the normal stomach after sodium bicarbonate ingestion. J Clin Gastroenterol. 1986;8:454-6.

22. Downs NM, Stonebridge PA. Gastric rupture due to excessive sodium bicarbonate ingestion. Scott Med J. 1989;34:534-5.

23. Fordtran JS, Morawski SG, Santa Ana CA, Rector FC, Jr. Gas production after reaction of sodium bicarbonate and hydrochloric acid. Gastroenterology. 1984;87:1014-21.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Some side effects may not be reported. You may report them to the FDA.