Block 4: Fluid Imbalances Phys Flashcards
What is homeostasis?
Maintenance of a consistent fluid and electrolyte adjustment
What are electrolytes?
Any substances that dissociate into ions in water
How does excess fluid affect vitals?
- Increases BP
- Edema
- Fluid accumulation in lungs
How does fluid deficit affect vitals?
↑ HR and ↓ BP
What is the primary anion in the ECF?
Chloride
Chloride is proportional to ___ and inversely related to ___
Na+, HCO3-
What are the biological functions of chloride?
- Maintenance of ECF osmolarity and acid-base regulation
- Component of HCl
- Essential for carbon dioxide transport
- Found in cerebrospinal fluid, bile, and pancreatic juices
Abnormally high plasma concentration of chloride is called ___?
Hyperchloremia
What can cause hyperchloremia?
1.Metabolic acidosis
2. Water loss and dehydration
3. Hypernatremia and PTH
4. Hyperkalemia
What are the clinical manifestations of hyperchloremia?
- Dehydration and symptoms
- Similar symptoms of hypernatermia
How does hyperchloremia → metabolic acidosis and hyperkalemia?
- EC H+ → IC
- Cl- remains in EC
- K+ in IC → EC
- No tendency towards hyperkalemia occurs in normochloremic metabolic acidosis → anions enter ICF
Abnormally low plasma concentration of chloride ions is ___?
Hypochloremia
What are the causes of hypochloremia?
- Loss of GI secretion
- Alkalosis (↑ bicarb)
- Volume depletion (burns, diuretics)
What are the clinical manifestations of hypochloremia?
- Similar to hyponatremia
- Cerebral edema
- HA, weakness, N, weight gain
- Shallow respirations
When do serum chloride levels decrease?
Volume depletion → hypovolemia → Activation of RAAS → ↑ Angiotensin II → ↑ aldosterone → ↑ K+ secretion → alkalosis and chloride depletion → failure of pendrin, a chloride/bicarbonate anion exchanger in the collecting duct
What would hypochloremia look like in labs?
- Low sodium levels
- Elevated BUN:CR with GI loss and burns
- Metabolic alkalosis
What are the biological functions of potassium?
- Regulates ICF osmolarity
- RMP
- Na+/K+ pump
- Buffering mechanism
- Facilitates glycogen storage in liver and skeletal muscle cells
- Osmotic pressure in the ICF
Describe the mechanism that increases K+?
Abnormally high plasma concentration of potassium ions is ___?
Hypoerkalemia
What are the complications of hyperkalemia?
- Stresses the CV system → lethal arrhythmias
What can cause hyperkalemia?
- Oversupplematation
- Renal failure
- Tissue trauma and breakdown
- Hypoxia
- Acidosis
- Insulin deficiency
What are the clinical manifestations of hyperkalemia?
- Muscle weakness or paralysis
- Dysrhythmias
- Heart block
- Cardiac arrest
- Neuromuscular irritability, extreme paralysis, anxiety
- N/V/D
What would hyperkalemia look like in labs?
- Elevated BNP, BUN, and Cr
- Decreased serum cortisol
- ECG abnormalities
Abnormally low plasma concentration of potassium ions is ___ which can lead to ___?
Hypokalemia, cardiac arrhythmias