Fluid and Electrolyte Flashcards
What are the functions of water in the body?
- Brain consists of 90% water.
- Transports nutrients and oxygen into cells.
- Bone consists of 22% water
- Water protects and moisturizes our joints.
- Moisturizes the air in our lungs.
- Helps with our metabolism.
- Blood consists of 83% water.
- Muscles consists of 73% water
- Systemic: detoxes the body, water helps regulate, helps our organs to absorb nutrients better, protects our organs.
What do electrolytes do in our body?
Help with contractions of muscles, sending nerve impulses, creating bone, balances the fluid in our body, maintains the bloods acid-base balance.
How do we maintain electrolytes in the body?
we get the majority of our electrolytes from food. it goes into the body and is absorbed in the intestines and enter the blood and is filtered by kidneys.
What are things that affect electrolyte and fluids?
trauma, blood loss, burns, diarrhea, NG suction, ALdosterone or ADH problems.
Explain Sodium
- outside of the cell
- 135-145
- higher concentration of sodium in the extracellular part compared to the intracellular part.
- regulates water inside and outside our cell.
- muscle contractions and nerve impulses.
What are causes of Hyponatremia?
- decreased consumption of sodium
- diuretics “thiazide”
- vomiting .. GI suction
- Diarrhea, sweating
- Addison’s disease
- SIADH
- Overload of fluid = CHF, hypotonic fluids, renal failure.
Explain Addison’s Disease.
- low aldosterone.
- the adrenal glands not produce sufficient steroid hormones.
- aldosterone plays a role in maintaining BP and it normally will cause the kidneys to keep water and sodium because that will increase BP, but in exchange, you’re going to excrete potassium. SO if you have low aldosterone it will cause you to lose sodium but causes you to keep potassium.
what are the signs and symptoms of Addison’s disease?
hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, low BP, weakness, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain,
What occurs during an adrenal crisis?
fever, syncope, hyponatremia, convulsions, hypoglycemia, and severe vomiting and diarrhea.
what is SIADH?
syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone excretion.
secrete too much ADH (this keeps water which dilutes sodium).
what are s/s of hyponatremia?
seizures and stupor (decrease in consciousness), abdominal cramping, tendon reflexes diminished, trouble concentrating, loss of urine and appetite, orthostatic hypotension, overactive bowel sounds, shallow breathing (LATE STAGES), spasms of muscles.
what are causes of Hypernatremia?
- Cushing’s syndrome
- Conn’s syndrome
- hypertonic solutions
- corticosteroids
- not drinking enough water or losing too much water (Diabetes insipidus, burns, or increase intake of sodium)
What is Cushing’s syndrome?
it is the production of large amounts of cortisol by the adrenal glands; increased secretion os adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary.
what are s/s of Cushing’s syndrome?
weight gain, increase BP, poor memory, red stretch marks, ruddy face, excess hair growth.
What does cortisol do?
helps maintain BP with the inflammatory response. too much cortisol = too much sodium in our blood and waste too much potassium. Causes hypernatremia but hypokalemia.
