Carbicarb: an effective substitute for NaHCO3 for the treatment of acidosis.

Carbicarb (Na2CO3 0.33 molar NaHCO3 0.33 molar), a mixture formulated to avoid the objections to sodium bicarbonate therapy, has been compared with 1 mol/L NaHCO3 and 1 mol/L NaCl in the treatment of mixed respiratory and metabolic acidosis (pH 7.17) produced by asphyxia in rats. In clinically appropriate doses, intravenous NaHCO3 raised arterial pH only 0.03 unit, elevated arterial carbon dioxide pressure, and doubled lactate concentration. With Carbicarb, the pH rise was three times as great and the blood lactate level was unchanged. The new drug should be effective in treating the acidosis of cardiopulmonary failure without raising blood carbon dioxide pressure or lactate levels and at lower sodium doses than required for NaHCO3.