Aani CP: Sodium/Potassium/Calcium Flashcards
What is the normal range of serum sodium?
135-145 mmol/l
What is the osmolar gap?
Difference between osmolality and osmolarity
Why is an osmolar gap caused? Why is it useful?
Increased solutes in the plasma.
Helps differentiate the cause of HAGMA (high anion gap metabolic acidosis)
How to calculate osmolality ?
Anions (Na + K+ ) + Cations (Cl- + HCO3-) + Urea + Glucose
What should serum osmolality be normally?
285
How to calculate osmolarity?
2 (Na+K) + Urea + Glucose
What is the normal range for osmolar gap?
Normal <10
Symptoms of hyponatraemia? (4) with Na values!
Nausea/vom <135
Confusion <131
Seizures <125
Coma/death <117
What happens when you correct sodium levels too quickly?
Central pontine demyelinosis i.e. osmotic demyelination quadriplegia/seizures/death
Where is ADH made? Where is it secreted?
Made in: Hypothalamus
Secreted from: Posterior pituitary
What does ADH do?
Acts on V2 receptor at Renal collecting ducts. Inserts aquaporin 2 channels into renal collecting ducts to retain water
What is the underlying cause of hyponatraemia?
Increased extracellular fluid (caused by increased ADH)
Which 2 situations cause appropriate release of ADH?
- Increased osmolality (i.e. increased Na conc.) Mediated by osmoreceptors. You want to retain water to correct this.
- Low blood pressure – detected by baroreceptors in carotids/atria.
What is the effect of ADH on serum sodium?
Lowers it –> Hyponatraemia
Signs of hypovoleamia?
Reduced skin turgor Dry mucous membranes Tachycardia Low blood pressure Low urine output KEY: LOW URINE SODIUM (<20) because kidneys want to hold on to water and so they don’t excrete Na and water follows – reliable!
Signs of hypervolaemia?
Peripheral oedema
Raised JVP
Bibasal crepitations
Causes of hyponatraemia in hypovolaemic pts?
Diarrhoea
Diuretics
Vomitting
Salt-losing nephropathy
Causes of hyponatraemia in hypervolaemic pts?
Cardiac failure
Liver failure
Nephrotic syndrome
What is the role of albumin?
Move water back into vessels
Maintains oncotic pressure for distribution of body fluids. Albumin prevents fluid from being forced into interstitial space from vessels. Low ambumin causes extravascular fluid oedema.
What are the causes of euvolaemic hyponatraemia?
- Hypothyroidism (Low C.O Low BP Baroreceptors detect it = More ADH)
- Adrenal insufficiency = low cortisol (cortisol needed to maintain BP) low BP increased ADH
- SIADH
Causes of SIADH?
- Tumours/pathology of the brain/lung
- Drugs e.g. SSRIs, PPIs, TCAs, opiates
- Surgery (due to pain more ADH)
- Ectopic secretion from other tumours e.g. pancreas/prostate
What will the plasma osmolality be in SIADH?
Low because lots of water retention so hyponatraemic (osmolality is basically sodium conc)
What will the urine osmolality be in SIADH?
High because water is being reabsorbed so only little water with lots of sodium is excreted. Urine sodium will be >100.
In SIADH, Urine osmolality is high, Plasma osmolality is low
Which tests will you order in a Pt with euvolaemic hyponatraemia?
- TFTs cos hypothyroidism can cause hyponatraemia.
- Short SynthACTHen test to check for adrenal insufficiency (low cortisol causes hyponatraemia)
- Plasma and urine osmolality to check for SIADH (to confirm – plasma osmolality low, urine osmolality high)
How would you manage hypovolaemic hyponatraemia?
Stop cause e.g. diuretics
Give fluid replacement with 0.9% (normal) saline.
N.B. Never give saline to pts with SIADH - it will make it worse
How would you manage hypervolaemic/euvolaemic hyponatraemia?
Fluid restriction and treat underlying cause
Management of severe hyponatraemia? Give details
Correct sodium levels with hypertonic saline (3%)
Do not correct more than 10 mmol/l for 24 hours
If fluid restriction is not working for SIADH which drugs can you give?
Domeclocycline (reduced collecting duct responsiveness to ADH)- but risk of nephrotoxicity
Tolvaptan (V2 receptor antagonist)
What is more common hypo or hypernatraemia?
What is more common hypo or hypernatraemia?
Symptoms of hypernatraemia?
- Lethargy
- Thirst
- Irritability
- Fits
- Coma
What is the underlying cause of hypernatraemia?
Water loss
Causes of hypernatraemia?
- Water loss via GI tract (if this is corrected by drinking water it can cause hyponatraemia)
- Inadequate ADH release (cranial) or action (nephrogenic) i.e. Diabetes insipidus
- Poor water intake e.g. child/elderly
Causes for cranial DI?
Trauma
Surgery
Tumour
Cause for nephrogenic DI?
- Renal failure/CKD
- Lithium
- Inherited resistance
- High Ca or Low K can cause resistance to ADH nephrogenic DI.
Treat by giving K or reducing Ca
What would the plasma and urine osmolality be in hypernatraemia?
Plasma: high (less water in plasma)
Urine: low (water lost so low sodium either via ADH resistance or by body trying to retain water via retaining sodium)
Diagnosing Diabetes Insipidus?
Water deprivation test:
Normal person’s urine would concentrate to reduce water loss
Craniogenic: would concentrate after ADH given
Nephrogenic: would not concentrate
How do you correct hypernatraemia?
Rehydration with dextrose
Hypernatraemia is water LOSS so do NOT give normal saline. Give water i.e. 5% dextrose.
If hypernatraemic pt is also volume depleted e.g. low BP, what do you do?
Correct fluid depletion with normal saline. Give 0.9% saline.
Check Serum Na every 4-6 hours.
What test do you do for suspected DI?
K and Ca to see if it’s caused by Low K and high Ca
Look at drugs (lithium?)
Glucose to exclude DM
Plasma and urine osmolality (plasma would be high, urine would be low)
Water deprivation test
When can D&V cause hyponatraemia vs hypernatraemia?
Hypernatraemia if you don’t drink e.g. child/elderly or DI
Hyponatraemia if you correct with drinking
What is the normal range of K+ in the blood?
3.5-5.5mmol/l
Is K+ predominantly intracellular or extra?
Intracellular
Where is Renin secreted from?
Juxtaglomerullar Apparatus
What does Renin do?
Stimulates angiotensin release by converting Angiotensinogen to angiotensin