Module 6 - Fluid & Electrolyte Disturbances Flashcards
What system controls fluid
Mostly renal system
How much of adult body weight is water
60% of adult weight is total body water (42L in a 70kg person) –> higher in infants
Do people who are fatter have more or less total body water
Less
As fat is water repelling (hydrophobic) and very little water found in adipose cells
Describe intracellular fluid
- Comprises all the fluid within cells – 2/3 of total body water
- Where metabolic processes occur
- High conc. of potassium, magnesium, phosphate, glucose and oxygen
Describe extracellular fluid
• All fluid outside the cells which constitutes the remaining fluid volume and is divided into interstitial and intravascular fluid
Additional smaller components include lymph, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, sweat, urine, pleural, peritoneal, etc.
• Where transport of molecules occurs
• Higher conc. of sodium, chloride and bicarbonate
What is interstitial fluid
Space between cells and outside the blood vessels (where most of extracellular fluid found)
What is intravascular fluid
The plasma
Where does most water intake and output occur
- Intake body water mostly through drinking, or water from food and metabolism of food
- Most lost through urine, small amounts through sweat, lungs and faeces
- Around 2.5L enters and exits body per day which maintains homeostasis
How does water move between plasma and interstitial fluid
- Occurs as a result of changes in hydrostatic pressure (pushing) and osmotic/oncotic pressure (pulling) at arterial and venous ends of capillaries
- Water, sodium and glucose readily cross membrane, but larger proteins do not
- Larger proteins help maintain osmolarity (particularly albumin) as it generates effective oncotic pressure
What are the four main forces present for movement between plasma and interstitial fluid
- Capillary hydrostatic pressure (blood pressure) – tends to force water out into interstitial fluid
- Capillary oncotic pressure – occurs as proteins attract fluid, high levels of protein in blood so reasonable pressure generated which draws water into capillary
- Interstitial hydrostatic pressure – facilitates movement from interstitial into capillary or lymph vessels
- Interstitial oncotic pressure – due to proteins, attracts water from capillary into interstitial space
Last two have minimal effect
What law does movement between plasma and interstitial fluid follow
STARLING’S LAW OF THE CAPILLARY:
Net filtration = forces favouring filtration – forces opposing filtration
Favouring- capillary hydrostatic pressure and interstitial oncotic pressure
Opposing- capillary oncotic pressure and interstitial hydrostatic pressure
What forces are most present at venous and venous and arterial ends
- At arterial end- capillary hydrostatic exceeds capillary oncotic so fluid exits capillary into the space
- At venous end- capillary hydrostatic less due to rapid exit of water from arterial end, oncotic is the same at both ends as amount of proteins doesn’t change, so oncotic exceeds hydrostatic and fluid enters capillary
Explain movement of water between interstitial fluid and intracellular fluid
- Result of osmotic forces
- Oncotic force proteins which is relatively constant within cells, draws water into intracellular fluid
- Moves freely via diffusion through lipid of membrane and aquaporins
- Sodium responsible for ECF osmotic balance, K+ for ICF
- Osmotic force of proteins in ICF controlled through active transport with ions
- Osmolarity of total body water needs to be at equilibrium (balanced
What is oedema
Accumulation of fluid in interstitial space (swelling)
• Conditions that cause increased sodium and water retention or venous obstruction, lead to increased blood volume which increases blood hydrostatic pressure contributing to oedema e.g. hypertension, heart failure and renal failure
• Also affected by low plasma oncotic pressure such as decrease in albumin or malnutrition, increased capillary membrane permeability i.e. inflammation or lymphatic obstruction (maybe a tumour)
Explain first, second and third spacing
When distribution between ICF and ECF are normal it is called first spacing
When people have oedema second spacing occurs due to excess fluid in interstitial space - can be treated by elevating limb or using diuretic agents
Third spacing occurs in areas not considered to be normal fluid compartments and not able to easily drained e.g. burns site or damaged tissue - main concern is hypovolaemia (low blood volume as fluid is in third space and not in normal compartments, can lead to dehydration)
Manifestations of swelling
Weight gain, limited movements, impaired blood flow, slow wound healing, increased risk infection and increase risk pressure sores and injuries
Treatment for swelling
Elevate limb, fluid restriction, administer diuretics, treat underlying cause
Describe antidiuretic hormone
Controls water balance
Secreted when total plasma concentration (osmolarity) increases or circulating blood volume or pressure decreases
Increased plasma concentration occurs with water deficit or sodium excess which stimulates hypothalamic osmoreceptors
In addition to causing thirst, osmoreceptors signal posterior pituitary to release ADH
ADH increases reabsorption of water by kidneys so water retained and not lost as urine (urine concentration increases and plasma volume increases)
Plasma concentration, therefore, decreases returning it to normal
ADH also released by signals sent for baroreceptors and receptors in heart muscle
What 3 factors affect sodium balance
Increased glomerular filtration rate, aldosterone and natriuretic peptides