fluids and electrolytes Flashcards
What is the normal range for sodium?
135-145 mEq/L
What is the normal range for potassium?
3.5-5
What is the function of sodium?
To regulate fluid volume and maintain blood volume
What are the sources of sodium?
salt, canned food
Where is sodium primarily reabsorbed and excreted?
kidneys
What are the electrolytes?
Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Chloride, Phosphorus, Bicarbonate
What is the normal range of Potassium?
3.5-5 mEq/L (3-5 bananas in a bunch, usually half ripe)
What is the medical term for Potassium that is low or high?
Hypokalemia and Hyperkalemia
What does Potassium do for the body?
Regulates conduction of the cardiac rhythm, transmits electrical impulses in multiple systems, assists with acid base balance
Where are the common sites of potassium loss?
GI tract and excreted by kidneys
What are the sources of potassium?
What are low and high sodium called?
Hyponatremia and Hypernatremia
What is ECF?
Extracellular fluid
What is ICF?
Intracellular fluid
What is the normal level of calcium?
8.5-10.5 mEq/L
What is the inverse of calcium?
Phosphorus
How does calcium work in the body?
Essential to bone health, promotes the transmission of nerve impulses, regulates muscle contractions
What regulates calcium?
Parathyroid and thyroid (PTH and Calcitonin)
What is the most abundant electrolyte in the body?
Calcium– 99% is found in the bones
What are the sources of calcium?
What is the normal level of magnesium?
1.6-2.6 mEq/L
How does Magnesium work in the body?
It is involved in the synthesis of DNA, maintenance of potassium in the ICF, electrical activity of the nerves and cardiac muscle
Magnesium levels are affected by:
malnutrition and alcohol
what is the most abundant anion in the ECF?
Chloride
What are the normal levels of Chloride?
95-105 mEq/L
Where are the adrenal glands located?
top of kidneys
What does the hormone Aldosterone do?
tells the kidneys to hold onto sodium, which in turn causes retention of water and excretion of potassium
Aldosterone antagonist (potassium sparing diuretic)
spirolactone and Aldactone
What thyroid hormones regulate calcium in the body?
Parathyroid (PTH) and Calcitonin
What does Calcitonin do?
If there is too much calcium in the blood, this thyroid hormone tells the calcium to go into the bones.
What does PTH do?
If there is not enough calcium in the blood, PTH borrows calcium from bone.
What is the normal range of Magnesium?
1.6-2.6 mEq/L
Normal range for Chloride?
95-105 mEq/L
Normal range for phosphorus?
2.5-4.5 mEq/L
What is the inverse of calcium?
Phosphorus
How is Phosphorus the inverse of calcium?
When calcium is high, phosphorus is low and vice versa.
What is the normal range for Bicarbonate?
22-26 mEq/L
How does bicarbonate help maintain the body’s pH?
Acid neutralizing
What is the normal serum pH of the body?
7.35-7.45
What are the dangerous/fatal serum pH?
below 6.9 and above 7.8
hypernatremia
high sodium
hyponatremia
low sodium
Hypervolemic
fluid excess
hypovolemic
low fluid
hypokalemia
low potassium
hyperkalemia
high potassium
How is IV potassium given?
NEVER push (CAN CAUSE HEART TO STOP), must be diluted and put on an IV pump
What does low potassium cause?
Cardiac arrhythmias, flat or low t-wave on EKG
If you are suffering from hyperaldosteronism, what does that mean for your potassium and sodium?
Aldosterone causes the body to hold onto sodium, so if you are not producing enough, your body is holding onto potassium instead
What are the clinical manifestations of hyperkalemia?
muscle twitching, elevated t-wave on EKG, dysrythmias
How does insulin and glucose treat hyperkalemia?
Causes potassium to go back into cells and glucose is to prevent hypoglacemia
What type of insulin can be given IV?
Regular ONLY
Hypocalcemia
Low calcium
What type of parathyroidism can cause hypocalcemia and why?
Hypoparathyroidism; PTH won’t borrow the calcium that the body needs from the bones
What is the Trousseau and Chvostek signs?
T-using BP cuff on arm will cause hand to draw up, C-deep reflexes in cheek will cause twitch
Hypercalcemia
High calcium
How does hypercalcemia cause kidney stones?
Build up of calcium can form the stones
Hypomagnesemia
low magnesium
What causes hypomagnesemia?
Alcoholism and malnutrition
What precautions need to be taken when administering magnesium IV?
Watch for seizures
What is a simple treatment for Hyper of any electrolytes?
Diuretics and diets
Hypophosphatemia
Low phosphate
What electrolyte needs to be monitored when treating high or low phosphate?
Calcium
What is a CLABSI?
Infection of a central line
What level of cleanliness is required for putting in a central line?
Sterile technique
What are the two buffers for pH?
Carbonic Acid or CO2 and sodium bicarbonate
What is acidosis?
When the pH is leaning towards acidic so the lungs work to remove CO2. Resp rate increases and depth decreases
What organ makes bicarb?
Kidneys
Is bicarb acidic or basic?
Basic
What is alkalosis?
pH is leaning alkaloidal, so the lungs work to retain CO2 by increasing depth and decreasing rate
If your ph is acidic, how would that affect your potassium?
Pushes potassium out of the cells causing hyperkalemia
Normal levels for CO2 on an ABG
35-45 mm Hg
Normal levels for Bicarbonate
22-26 mm HG
Normal levels for oxygen on an ABG
80-100 mm Hg
When reading an ABG, what do you review first?
the pH to figure out if you are acidic, alkalotic, or normal
When reading an ABG, what would a high CO2 level tell you?
The pt lungs are not working like they need to be-high would be acidic, low is alkalotic, or normal
When reading an ABG, what does the Bicarbonate levels tell you?
High is alkalotic, low is acidic, or normal
What causes respiratory acidosis?
pH lower than 7.35, CO2 above 45
What causes respiratory alkalosis?
pH above 7.45, low CO2
What causes metabolic acidosis?
pH lower than 7.35 and low levels of bicarbonate
What causes metabolic alkalosis?
pH higher than 7.45 and bicarbonate is high—commonly caused by excessive acid loss via vomiting or gastric suction
