Electrolyte Emergencies Flashcards
What should always be ordered in the setting of hyperkalemia?
What can cause hyperkalemia?
EKG
Renal failure, acidosis, rhabdo, medications, or drugs
What is seen on EKG in hyperkalemia?
- peaked T-waves
- Loss of P-waves
- Wide QRS
- Ultimately sine wave
What is the management for hyperkalemia?
What about severe hyperkalemia?
Push the K+ back into the cell!
- Glucose
- Insulin
- Albuterol
- If acidotic: bicarb
Calcium chloride and calcium gluconate (dialysis?)
What other deficiency should be assumed in hypokalemia?
Hypomagnesemia
They are BFF’s
What are the ranges of symptoms seen in hypermagnesemia?
Mild: flushing, nausea, HA
Moderate: decreased tendon reflexes
Severe: neuromuscular/cardiac excitability
In an eclamptic patient being treated with magnesium what physical exam test can be helpful in monitoring for toxicity?
Reflexes - in hypermagnesemia will have diminished reflexes
What are some of the indications to use magnesium?
- Eclampsia or pre-eclampsia
- Pre-term labor
- Asthma
- Torsades
What cation maintains osmotic pressure?
Sodium
What is the lowest CO2 the body can compensate to?
How is the body compensating to blow off CO2?
10
Tachypnea
What medications rely on a stable pH and will not work if there is any shift?
- Vasopressors
- Insulin
