Exam 1 Electrolytes Flashcards
Electrolytes effect what
the amount of water in your body
, the acidity of your blood (pH),
your muscle function,
and other important processes.
Sodium range
135-145 mmol/L
Hyponatremia- what happens to water balance
Excess body water compared to total body
– Patient not able to excrete excess water
– Patient looses more salt than water
Hyponatremia causes ***
Non-renal:
– Gastrointestinal: Diarrhea or Vomiting
– Transdermal: Heavy sweating
Renal:
– Thiazide diuretics
– Primary adrenal insufficiency
– Cerebral salt wasting
– Kidney disease
Additional hyponatremia causes
Third spacing
– Bowel obstruction, pancreatitis, sepsis or
•Muscle trauma
•Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic (SIADH)
•General anesthesia, nausea, pain, stress and
•medications
•Cancers (small cell carcinoma of the lung)
•Diseases of the lung (pneumonia)
•Central nervous system (subarachnoid hemorrhage)
•High water and low solute intake
– Primary polydipsia including MDMA (ecstasy)
– Anorexia
•Heart failure
•Liver failure
•Nephrotic syndrome
Clinical Manifestations: Acute(< 48 hours)
125-130 mmol/L hyponatremia
Nausea
Malaise
Acute clinical manifestations for hyponatremia 115-120 mmol/L
-Headache; lethargy; seizures; coma; respiratory arrest
Clinical Manifestations: Chronic (≥ 48 hours)
– 115-130 mmol/L hyponatremia
Fatigue, nausea, dizziness, gait disturbances, forgetfulness, confusion, lethargy, and muscle cramps
HYPERNATREMIA
•Clinical Manifestations:
158-180 mmol/L
– lethargy, weakness, and irritability, and can
progress to twitching, seizures, and coma
Hypernatremia
Above 180 mmol/L
– high mortality rate, particularly in adults
Hypernatremia treatment
–Hypertonic IVF
– Determine dietary intake and limit
Treat with dialysis, free water
K range
Normal 3.5-5.0 meq/L
- Oral/IV intake
- Stored in cells or excreted in urine
- Normal potassium intake 40-120 meq/day most of which is excreted in the urine.
HYPOKALEMIA
Causes:
•Decreased potassium intake •Increase entry of potassium into cells – Increased extracellular pH – Increased availability of insulin – Chloroquine intoxication •GI losses – Vomiting – Diarrhea – Feeding tube drainage/leakage – Chronic Laxative use/abuse
•Increased urinary sodium losses – Increased exchange sodium for potassium •Diuretics causing polyuria •Amphotericin B •Increased sweat losses •Dialysis/plasmaphoresis
HYPOKALEMIA S&S
Muscle weakness •Muscle cramps Below 2.5 meq/L •Rhabdomyolysis •Myoglobinuria •Cardiac arrhythmias
Fatigue, anorexia, muscle weakness, BP decrease, ileus development, decreased DTR,
Hypokalemia ecg changes
Depression ST segment; decrease in amplitude of the T-wave and an increase in the amplitude of the U wave.
HYPERKALEMIA S&S
•serum potassium concentration is ≥7.0 meq/L with chronic hyperkalemia or possibly at lower levels with an acute rise in serum potassium
•muscle weakness or paralysis
•cardiac conduction abnormalities and cardiac arrhythmias including :
sinus bradycardia, sinus arrest, slow idioventricular rhythms, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, and asystole
HYPERKALEMIA
•CAUSES:
•Reversible causes of renal insufficiency
– hypovolemia
– nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDS)
– urinary tract obstruction (should also consider this in differentials)
– inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system
•Dietary intake
HYPERKALEMIA TREATMENT
- Loop or thiazide diuretics (As long as the patient is not volume depleted!)
- IV NaCl (If volume depleted)
- Dialysis
Bicarbonate is what
Co2
BICARBONATE(CO2)
•normal range arterial
7.35- 7.45
Bicarbonate serum range
22-28 meq/L
•Acid-base balance is maintained by
pulmonary and renal excretion of carbon dioxide
METABOLIC ACIDOSIS S&S
- Chest pain, palpitations, headache, altered mental status, decreased visual acuity, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, muscle weakness, bone pains, Kussmaul respirations ( Rapid deep breathing)
- Extreme acidemia leads to neurological and cardiac complications
METABOLIC ALKALOSIS
•CAUSES:
Kidney ‘s are unable to excrete the excess bicarbonate, usually because of volume depletion
- the desire to retain sodium prevents the excretion of bicarbonate, which would have to occur as sodium or potassium bicarbonate to maintain electroneutrality
- Loop diuretic therapy (Lasix, Torsemide, Bumex)
- Loss of gastric secretions emesis/NG suction
METABOLIC ALKALOSIS S&S
Slowed breathing which can lead to Apnea
•Cyanosis
•Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
•Irritability, twitching, confusion, and picking at bedclothes.
•Rapid heart rate, irregular heart beats, and a drop in blood pressure
•Severe cases can lead to convulsions and coma.