Electrolytes & Bloods Flashcards
What are the 6 essential electrolytes?
Sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride, phosphate
Aldosterone, which also controls blood pressure, controls what electrolytes?
Sodium and potassium
Cushing’s causes what electrolyte imbalance and why?
Hypokalemia, due to increase in cortisol which is a glucocorticoid, which increases blood sugar and then insulin release, which causes potassium to be moved into the cell and decrease the amount in blood.
What is cortisol’s effect on electrolytes?
Acts as a diuretic and causes excess potassium secretion in kidneys and GI tract, and sodium retention.
What is cortisol’s effect on the body?
Increases blood sugar and hence insulin, decreases immune system response, acts as a diuretic via raising glucose levels, retains sodium, decreases potassium retention
Where is most potassium stored?
In the cells
What does potassium do in the body?
Assists in nerve function, causes contractions, helps move nutrients into cells and waste products out, maintains fluid levels inside the cells
What does sodium do in the body?
Conduct nerve impulses, contract & relax muscles, maintains cellular osmotic pressure and blood pressure
What happens during hyponatremia?
There’s not enough sodium and can cause fluid retention as fluid rushes into cells and causes them to swell. This can also cause hypovolemia.
What can cause hyponatremia?
Kidney failure, congestive heart failure, overhydration/polydipsia, diuretics, severe V/D
What can cause hypernatremia?
Dehydration, severe and watery diarrhea, vomiting, Diabetes insipidus, burns, fever, osmotic diuresis, hyperglycemia, sodium bicarbonate and sodium phosphate enemas, inability for kidney to concentrate and filter out sodium
What does ADH do in the body?
It’s an arteriole constrictor and increases arterial pressure and cardiac output, and causes the kidneys to reabsorb water without solutes, which decreases urine output.
Addison’s disease causes what electrolyte abnormalities?
Decreased cortisol and aldosterone causes hyperkalemia and hyponatremia
What does total hemoglobin measure?
Total amount of hemoglobin in whole blood.
What does high hemoglobin concentration mean?
Chronic hypoxia
