How to diagnose Renal Tubular Acidosis ?
To diagnose RTA, doctors check the acid-base balance in blood and urine samples. If the blood is more acidic than it should be and the urine less acidic than it should be, RTA may be the reason, but additional information is needed to rule out other causes. If RTA is the reason, additional information about the sodium, potassium, and chloride levels in the urine and the potassium level in the blood will help identify which type of RTA a person has. 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.