Fluids, Compartments and Movement

Question 1

What are the functions of water (fluids)?

Answer 1

1. It provides an extracellular transportation route to deliver nutrients to the cells and carries waste products from the cells.
2. Provides a medium in which chemical reactions, or metabolism, can occur within the cell.
3. Acts as lubricant for tissues and joints (serous fluid, synovial fluid)
4. Aids in the maintenance of acid-base balance
5. Assists in heat regulation via evaporation

Question 2

What is the percentage of body weight that is water in the following age groups?
Premature infants
Newborns
Twelve years to adult
Older adults

Answer 2

Premature infants 90%
Newborns 70%-80%
Twelve years to adult 50%-60%
Older adults 45%-55%

Question 3

Which type of extracellular fluid accounts for approximately 27% of the fluid in the body? (examples: lymph, cerebrospinal fluid and gastrointestinal secretions)

Answer 3

Interstitial fluid

Question 4

What is the normal daily water intake and output?

Fluids are excreted from the body via which organs?

Answer 4

2500 mL

Kidneys (urine), lungs (exhalation) , skin (perspiration, evaporation), GI tract (feces)

Question 5

What are three methods the body uses for fluid intake?

Answer 5

1. Ingestion of liquids and food
2. Metabolism of food
3. Metabolism in body tissues

Question 6

Plasma is what type of extracellular fluid, making up 7% of fluid volume in the body?

Answer 6

Intravascular fluid

Question 7

How does body fat affect body fluid percentage?

Answer 7

• Fat contains very little water
• Females have more body fat than males, which means females have less body fluid
• The more obese an individual, the lesser the percentage of body fluid

Question 8

What is the difference between intracellular and extracellular fluid?

Answer 8

Intracellular:
*Largest of the two compartments
*Contains the fluid inside the cells within the body
*Contains the major electrolytes Potassium and
Magnesium

Extracellular:

• Contains any fluid outside the cell
• Divided into interstitial and intravascular compartments.
• Contains the major electrolytes Sodium and Calcium
• Is lost from the body more rapidly than intracellular fluid.

Question 9

What the life span considerations regarding older adults and dehydration?

Answer 9

• As aging progresses, lean muscle is replaced by fat, leading to decreased body fluid
• Aging kidneys result in decreased ability to concentrate urine and greater fluid loss.
• Decreased mobility and fluid intake
• Incontinence can cause older adults to limit fluid intake
• Oversalting food results in electrolyte and fluid imbalances
• Lose of 10% body fluid is serious
• Loss of 20% body fluid is fatal

Question 10

Why are babies at risk for dehydration?

What are signs of dehydration in babies?

Answer 10

More than half of their body fluid is extracellular, and extracellular fluid is lost more quickly than intracellular.
Sunken eyes, Sunken fontanel

Question 11

What percentage of body fluid loss is fatal in infants?

Answer 11

15%

Question 12

What types of fluids are examples of body fluid output and should be considered when monitoring I & O?

Answer 12

Urine, diarrhea, vomitus, nasogastric suction, chest tube drainage, surgical wound drainage, fluids collected in surgical receptacles such as jackson-Pratt, Davol, or Hemovac systems.

Question 13

During glomerular filtration, at what rate do nephrons filter blood?
This leads to an output of how much urine per day?
What is the minimum urine excretion rate for kidneys to eliminate waste?

Answer 13

125 mL/min or 180 L/day
1-2 L/day
30 mL/hr

Question 14

What is the simplest, most accurate method of determining water balance?

Answer 14

• Weigh the patient under exact conditions (same time every day)
• 1 L of fluid equals 1 kg. A weight loss or gain of 1 kg will reflect a loss or gain of 1 L of body fluid.

Question 15

What measurement of urine specific gravity indicates dehydration?

Answer 15

> 1.030

Question 16

What measurement of urine specific gravity indicates a more dilute urine because the kidneys are ridding the body of excess fluid and conserving electrolytes?

Answer 16

<1.010

Question 17

What type of fluid movement:
Involves movement of small molecules across a cell membrane
Requires no cellular energy
Includes Diffusion, Osmosis and Filtration

Answer 17

Passive transport process

Question 18

Which passive transport process involves the movement of particles in all directions through a membrane in a solution or gas from a higher concentration to lower concentration? It’s main goal is to achieve equalized solutes in both areas. Examples: CO2 out of cells, movement of NA+ ions into nerve cells during impulse

Answer 18

Diffusion

Question 19

Which passive transport process involves the transfer of water and small solute particles through a membrane from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure? The force behind the process is hydrostatic pressure caused by the pumping action of the heart.

Answer 19

Filtration

Question 20

Which passive transport process is the movement of water through a selectively permeable membrane from an area of lower concentration to an area of higher concentration?

Answer 20

Osmosis

Question 21

What type of fluid movement:
Moves fluid and electrolytes from an area of lower concentration to an area of higher concentration and requires cellular energy (ATP)?

Answer 21

Active transport

Question 22

What happens to cells in hypotonic solutions?

Answer 22

Molecules or ions will move into the cell because the extracellular fluid has a lower osmotic pressure. This causes the cell to enlarge.

Question 23

What happens to the cells in isotonic solutions?

Answer 23

The osmotic pressure is even both inside and outside the cell. No movement of fluid occurs.

Question 24

What happens to the cells in a hypertonic solution?

Answer 24

The extracellular fluid has a higher osmotic pressure which pulls fluid from the cells.