1: gastro

Question 1

main fluid compartments of the body and proportions

Answer 1

• intracellular fluid: 2/3 of the body’s fluid compartments

- extracellular fluid: 1/3 of the body’s fluid compartments

Question 2

what is intracellular fluid?

Answer 2

fluid inside cells of the body

Question 3

what is extracellular fluid?

Answer 3

fluid outside of cellist the body.

• 1/4 is plasma in the blood
• 3/4 is interstitial fluid: fluid between cells

Question 4

pathogen: define

Answer 4

a microorganism that can cause disease.
3 types:
- bacteria
- viruses
- parasites

Question 5

fluid: define

Answer 5

a substance that does not have a fixed shape. it takes up the shape of its vessel.

Question 6

what does interstitial fluid include?

Answer 6

• all fluid between cells
• lymph
• fluid in the eyes
• synovial fluid: fluid in the joints
• spinal fluid

Question 7

what is serum

Answer 7

plasma minus clotting factors (not platelets)

Question 8

when does dehydration occur?

Answer 8

dehydration occurs when the human body loses more fluids than it can take in.

Question 9

how is dehydration different in the case of children?

Answer 9

• children have the need for a higher body weight water percentage (65% compared to 60% in adults)
• Children often have higher metabolic rates than adults (thus higher turnover of fluids)

Question 10

what is the main electrolyte in intracellular fluid?

Answer 10

potassium cation (K+)

Question 11

what is the importance of K+ in cells?

Answer 11

• it controls the volume of intracellular fluid through osmotic force
• it is vital in enzyme reactions and functions of the heart muscle
• hypokalaemia is a lowered potassium concentration in the body

Question 12

what are the main electrolytes in extracellular fluid?

Answer 12

sodium cation (Na+), and chloride anion (Cl-).

Question 13

how is homeostasis maintained?

Answer 13

most homeostatic mechanisms in the body function through a negative feedback loop.
ie. sensing when a stimulus pushes our body away from set balance points and acting to oppose said stimulus, in order to reestablish homeostasis.

Question 14

causes of gastroenteritis

Answer 14

o Viruses - rotavirus (children) or norovirus (adults)
o Parasites - giardia
o Bacteria - e.g. salmonella or E. Coli

Question 15

transmission of gastro

Answer 15

the faecal-oral route

Question 16

consequences of dehydration

Answer 16

more than 15% loss of total body water will likely result in death; a loss between 3% to 15% results in mental and physical deterioration

Question 17

management (treatments) of fluid loss

Answer 17

Oral rehydration solutions (ORT):
- Combination of salts and glucose with water
- Glucose increases the uptake of sodium, and thus water by the intestines.
- other drinks like juice & sports drink are not appropriate.
if cannot take in water: nasogastric drip or IV fluid