Fluid, Electrolytes, and Acid-Base Flashcards
What is a body fluid?
any substance, usually a liquid, that is produced by the body and consists of water and dissolved solutes
What makes up over half of the mass of the adult body?
Body fluids
What are the two “compartments” of body fluids (separated by a barrier)?
Intracellular (Cytosol) and Extracellular (Interstitial fluid, includes lymph, CSF, pleural, serous, etc, and blood plasma)
When does fluid balance occur?
When the required amount of water and solutes are present and correctly spread amongst the “compartments”
What percentage of total body mass does water account for?
45-75%
What allows for constant water and solute exchange between compartments?
Processes such as filtration, reabsorption, diffusion and osmosis
What is an electrolyte?
An inorganic compound that dissociates into ions in H2O
What is an ion
An atom or molecule with a net electrical charge due to a loss or gain of electrons
What is the main source of water gain?
Ingestion
What is another source of water gain?
Metabolic water can be gained during aerobic respiration and dehydration synthesis
How is water lost in the kidneys?
Excrete the majority of water in urine
How is water lost in the skin?
Evaporation by insensible and regular perspiration
How is water lost from the lungs?
Exhaling water vapor
How is water lost through the GI system?
Water elimination as feces
The quantity of metabolic water created is directly proportional to what?
the level of aerobic respiration (more ATP produced = more water produced)
What is dehydration?
water loss is greater than water gain (decrease in volume and increase in osmolarity)
What creates an urge to drink when the body is dehydrated?
The thirst center in the hypothalamus
What different triggers exist that activate the thirst center and create the urge to drink?
- Increased activity from osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus
- Volume receptors in the atria
- Baroreceptors in blood vessels
- Angiotensin II
- Neurons in the mouth detect decreased salivary slow
What is the main function for eliminating excess water and solutes?
Via excretion in the urine
How do the kidneys regulate water loss in urine?
by increasing or decreasing the reabsorption of Na+ and Cl-
What hormones are involved in regulating water and solute loss?
*ADH (water)
*Aldosterone (solute)
*ANP (solute)
What is Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)?
*The primary hormone involved in regulating water loss
*When the thirst center is triggered it increases
the synthesis and release of ADH
*Promotes water reabsorption by increasing the water permeability in the principal cells of
the tubule and duct of the DCT
*Other factors stimulate the release of ADH: Atrial volume receptors, baroreceptors in the BV, pain, nausea, and stress
What is aldosterone?
*decreased blood volume or Na+ deficiency in plasma trigger the RAAS
* Increases Na+ reabsorption in the DCT and ducts
What is Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP)?
- Stretch receptors in the atria trigger the release of ANP
- Promotes Na+ excretion in the urine (water follows sodium)
- Slows the release of renin (and therefore aldosterone
When there is increased osmolarity of ECF what happens to the fluid?
Turns the fluid hypertonic – Cells shrink
What can happen if ECF stays hypertonic for an extended period of time?
it can cause confusion, convulsions, coma, or death
When there is decreased osmolarity of ECF what happens to the fluid?
Turns the fluid hypotonic – Cells swell
What is water intoxication?
A state in which excessive body water causes cells to swell dangerously
What functions do electrolytes have in the body?
- Regulate osmosis of water between fluid compartments
- Maintain the acid-base balance required for cell function
- Carry electrical current (production of action potentials)
- Cofactors needed for optimal enzyme activity
What is an anion?
Negatively charged ion
What is a cation?
Positively charged ion
What is the main difference between blood plasma and interstitial fluid?
Blood plasma contains a higher amount of protein anion, intracellular fluid has a much higher concentration of K+, HPO42-, and proteins
What are the two most abundant ions in extracellular fluid?
Na+ and Cl-