Fluid, Electrolytes, and Acid-Base Disorders (complete) Flashcards
How much of the human body is fluid?
60%; it acts as a solvent
Can be as low as 45% in older adults due to decreased muscle mass
Why is fluid important in the body overall?
It plays a vital role in maintaining homeostasis
- regulation of various bodily functions
- electrolytes are the mechanisms that help control cellular function
What is intracellular fluid?
- fluid found within cells
- approximately 2/3 of the total body fluids
- water diffuses out of the ICF and can cause cell shrinkage or cellular dehydration
- water can enter the cell and lead to swelling of the cell or cellular edema
What is extracellular fluid?
- most ECF is found within the intravascular compartment of the blood vessels
- contains electrolytes, oxygen, glucose, and nutrients
- cellular waste
- fluid found outside cells (intravascular, interstitial and transcellular fluid spaces)
What is the interstitial space?
- is filtrate from the blood
- located between the cells and blood
- contains electrolytes (mostly Na+) and water
– no proteins because they are too big; except in inflammation when membrane becomes more permeable
What is diffusion?
Passive spread of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration until equilibrium is reached
(passive diffusion)
What is the rate of diffusion determined by?
- concentration gradient
- molecular weight of the substance
- temperature of the solution
- the electrical charge
- the availability of a carrier molecule
What is osmosis?
- molecules of the solvent to pass through the semi-permeable membrane from less concentrated to more concentrated
- water and electrolytes can move
– larger proteins like albumin should not be able to move from ECF - the greater the number of particles on one side, the greater the osmotic (attractive) force
What is filtration?
Occurs when water moves across membrane due to hydrostatic pressure
albumin plays a role – if too low, results in edema
What is the sodium-potassium pump?
Uses active transport to move molecules from a high concentration to a low concentration
3 sodium out, 2 potassium in
What is facilitated transport?
Passing of certain molecules through the membrane with assistance of carrier proteins
What is active transport?
- substance needs energy to pass through against a concentration gradient
- sodium and potassium require ATPase to keep potassium inside and sodium on the outside
– sodium potassium pump
What is hydrostatic pressure?
Pushing force by water in the bloodstream
- causes by the heart pumping blood against the capillary tends to push fluid from vascular to the interstitial space
– important for filtration
What is osmotic pressure?
Pressure exerted by the solutes; in the blood it comes from the electrolytes like sodium and plasma proteins
- pulls water into the bloodstream from the ICF and ISF
- solution with greater number of particles has higher osmotic pressure
- when pressure is high in the blood, it increases movement from the ICF and ISF to the blood
- when pressure is low, it moves fluid out of the blood and into the ICF and ISF
What is oncotic pressure?
- type of osmotic pressure exerted solely by albumin
- main colloidal protein in blood and maintains oncotic pressure
- attracts water and helps keep it inside the blood vessle
– if too low, fluid goes into the tissues and causes edema - albumin is an indicator of nutrition
– when albumin is low, there is reduced oncotic pressure which raises hydrostatic pressure and pushes fluid into the ISF and ICF
What is Starling’s Law of Capillary Forces?
Explains the movement of fluid that occurs at every capillary bed
Two major opposing forces:
- hydrostatic pressure (generated by fluid in the capillary)
- osmotic pressure (includes oncotic pressure)
– in each capillary, the blood contains the electrolytes and proteins which exert osmotic pressure
Oppose each other to balance each other out and lead to homeostasis
What is the lymphatic system responsible for in the regulation of fluid and electrolytes?
Accessory system which returns small proteins and fluid from the interstitial space back into the general circulation
- helps to keep pressures relatively constant
What is the renal system responsible for in the regulation of fluid and electrolytes?
kidneys regulate concentrations of most substances in the body by filtering plasma and then reabsorbing needed substances back into the vascular system
what we don’t need is excreted
What is osmolality?
concentration of solutes per kg of solvent
– based on 1 mole dissolved in 1 kg of water
- evaluate hydration based on concentration of fluids to particles
– normal is 282-295 milliosmoles/kg of water
– low means few particles in solutions (lower than normal means well hydrated)
– high means less solution to particles (higher normal means dehydrated)
What is osmolarity?
Number of osmoles of solutes in 1 liter of solution
Solutes:
- albumin
- sodium: major ECF fluid balance
- potassium: major ICF neuromuscular excitability and acid-base
- PO4: ICF negative anion
- magnesium: enzyme systems; stored in bone
- calcium: neuromuscular irritability, blood clotting, bones
- HCO3: acid-base
- glucose
What is tonicity?
Concentration (amount) of solutes in solution compared with the bloodstream
Also used to describe 3 types of IV solutions:
- isotonic
- hypertonic
- hypotonic
What is an isotonic IV solution?
Same tonicity as blood
- no fluid shifts and no change in cell size
- standard is 0.9% NSS
- volume expander and to maintain access
Ex: 0.9% NSS, LR
What is a hypertonic IV solution?
Higher concentration than the blood
- water moves from area of lower to higher solute concentration
- monitor for fluid overload; but used to treat hypovolemia and replace fluid and electrolytes
- don’t want to dehydrate cells (water moves from cells into ECF)
Ex: 5% dextrose in 0.9% NS, 5% dextrose in LR
What is a hypotonic IV solution?
Lower concentration than the blood
- water moves from lower concentration to higher solute concentration
- administer slowly to prevent cellular edema (causes cells to swell)
- used for dehydration
Ex: 0.45% NSS