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Urine pH

Aka: Urine pH

Normal
1. 4.5-8.0 (usually 5.5 to 6.5)
Background
1. Urine pH reflects serum pH except with RTA
2. In Renal Tubular Acidosis (RTA), Urine pH >5.5
  1. Urine cannot be acidified despite acid load
Increased (Alkalotic urine)
1. Stale ammoniacal sample (Very high pH)
  1. Void testing if old sample
2. Bacteriuria
  1. Reflects urea splitting organisms
  2. Associated with Magnesium-ammonium phosphate crystals
3. Vegetarian diet
4. High citrate diet
5. Renal Failure
6. Drugs
  1. Antibiotics
  2. Bicarbonate
  3. Acetazolamide
Decreased (Acidic urine)
1. Acidosis
2. Diabetes Mellitus
3. Starvation
4. Diarrhea
5. Uric Acid Calculi
6. Acidic fruits (Cranberry)
7. Drugs
  1. Ammonium chloride

Family Practice Notebook

Patients should address specific medical concerns with their physicians.

Although access to this page is not restricted, the information found here is intended for use by medical providers.

This page was written by Scott Moses, MD, last revised on 10/21/2007 and last published on 5/14/2013.

This is one of 5887 pages in the Family Practice Notebook