Vitamins and Minerals Flashcards by Jennifer Baker

What are minerals?

🌟 Naturally occuring inorganic substances
🌟 Important for normal functioning of the human body
🌟 Taken in via diet
🌟 Some are also electrolytes

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What are vitamins?

🌟 Substances the body needed to carry out essential metabolic reactions
🌟 The body cannot synthesize enough of these components to meet all of its needs
🌟 Must be obtained from animal or vegetable tissue - taken in as food.

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What are the general therapeutic actions of Vitamins and Minerals?

Facilitate functions in the human body
Build bones, make hormones, regulate fluid volume, generate nerve action potentials, and produce red blood cells

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What are the general indications of Vitamins and Minerals?

Treatment of deficiencies
Dietary Supplements
Specific therapies related to the activity of the vitamin or mineral

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Vitamins & Minerals
Contraindications

Allergy to drug OR any of the colorants, additives, or preservatives
Levels of the vitamin and mineral that are already too high in the body

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Vitamins & Minerals
Adverse Effects

🤢 GI upset

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Vitamins & Minerals
Drug Interactions

🚫 Fat Soluble Vitamins: may not be absorbed if given with mineral oil, cholestyramine, or colestipol
🚫 Potassium with potassium sparing diuretics - risk of hyperkalemia
🚫 Magnesium and calcium with antibitoics and/or iron –> decreased absorption of antibiotics and iron.

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What are the water soluble vitamins?

Vitamins B & C

readily excreted in urine
dissolve in water
daily intake necessary

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What are the fat soluble vitamins?

Vitamins A, D, E, & K

dissolve in fat
tend to be stored in the liver
daily intake is not necessary

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Vitamin A
Indications

⭐ Deficiency and malnutrition
⭐ Wound healing

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Vitamin A
Signs of deficiency

👁️ Night blindness or other vision problems
🔴 Impaired skin integrity

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Hypervitaminosis A
Signs of Vitamin A toxicity

Mouth ulcers
Cracked fingernails
Bone pain
Loss of appetite
Cracked corners of mouth
Blurry vision or other vision problems
Dizziness
Can cause severe liver toxicity
GI effects

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Vitamin A
Food Sources

Beef, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese
Sweet potato, squash, kale, spinach
Mango, cantaloupe, grapefruit

Think orange and green fruits and vegetables

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Vitamin C: Ascorbic Acid
Indications

⭐ Deficiency (Scurvy is a severe deficiency)
⭐ Enhances PO iron absorption
⭐ Wound healing

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Vitamin C: Ascorbic Acid
Signs of deficiency

Gingivitis
Hair and tooth loss
Nosebleeds
Easy bruising
Delayed healing

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Vitamin C: Ascorbic Acid
Adverse Effects

🫘 Kidney stones

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Vitamin C
Food Sources

Citrus
Tomatoes
Berries
Potatoes

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Vitamin D: Calcifediol, Cholecalciferol, or Ergocalciferol
Indications

⭐ Deficiency and/or malnutrition

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Vitamin D: Calcifediol, Cholecalciferol, or Ergocalciferol
Signs of deficiency

Rickets (soft weak bones in children)
Oseomalacia (soft bones in adults)
Osteoporosis (thin, brittle bones in adults)
Tetany

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Hypervitaminosis D
Signs of Vitamin D toxicity

Fatigue
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Excessive thirst
Excessive urination
Dehydration
Constipation
Irritability
Nervousness

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Vitamin D
Food Sources

Fish
Dairy
Mushrooms
Fortified orange juice

Vitamin B12: Cyanocobalamin
Indications

⭐ Pernicious Anemia
⭐ Deficiency or malnutrition
⭐ ETOH
⭐ Malabsorption syndrome
⭐ Vegan Diet
⭐ Prolonged use of PPIs or H2 Blockers

Vitamin B12: Cyanocobalamin
Signs of deficiency

Megaloblastic anemia
Mucous membranes - cheilosis (cracked lips), glossitis (red tongue), stomatitis
Neurologic: paresthesias, balance problems, memory loss, thinking problems

Vitamin B12: Cyanocobalamin
Food Sources

Fish, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy
Fortified cereals and yeasts

**Vitamin E** Indications

⭐ Mostly in premature infants ⭐ May be low in metabolic syndrome ⭐ Wound healing

**Vitamin E** *Signs of toxicity*

* Nausea * Gastric distress * Abdominal cramps * Diarrhea * Headache * Fatigue * Easy bruising and bleeding

**Vitamin E** Food Sources

* Vegetable Oils * Nuts & Seeds * Spinach & broccoli * Fish, meats, egg yolks * Fortified cereals **Think Oils**

**Vitamin B3: Niacin** Indications

⭐ Pellegra is niacin deficiency *(often r/t malabsorption)* ⭐ Lipid lowering agent

**Vitamin B3: Niacin** Signs of deficiency

* Mucous membranes: cheilosis, glossitis, stomatitis

**Vitamin B3: Niacin** Adverse Effects

❤️ Flushing of skin 🔴 Pruritis 🤢 GI upset at high doses

**Vitamin K: Phytonadione** Indications

⭐ Deficiency states (may occur with antiobiotic therapy) ⭐ Warfarin antidote *Vitamin K is synthesized by GI Normal Flora*

**Vitamin K: Phytonadione** *Signs of toxicity*

* Jaundice * Hyperbilirubinemia * Hemolytic anemia * Kernicterus (brain damage) in infants

**Vitamin K: Phytonadione** Important things to remember

* Deaths occur with IV route - use extreme caution * Interferes with Warfarin therapy * Infants given Vitamin K shot at birth because of undeveloped gut bacteria

**Vitamin B1: Thiamine** Indications

⭐ Beriberi (thiamine deficiency) ⭐ Wernicke-Korskoff's (alcoholic) encephalopathy ⭐ Peripheral neuritis ⭐ Deficiency and malnutrition ⭐ ETOH ⭐ Malabsorption syndromes

**Calcium** Mechanism of Action

* Needed for musculoskeletal, nerve, and cardiovascular function

**Calcium** Indications

⭐ Deficiency ⭐ Reduce risk of osteoporosis ⭐ Used in conjunction wtih Vitamin D to increase calcium absorption

**Calcium** *Signs of toxicity*

* Nausea * Kidney Stones * Heart arrhythmias

**Calcium** Food Sources

* Milk, cheese, yogurt * Kale, broccoli * Salmon, sardines

**Magnesium** Mechanism of Action

* Activtes many intracellular enzymes * Helps to regulate skeletal and cardiac muscle contractility

**Magnesium** Indications

⭐ Deficiency ⭐ As an antacid or laxative ⭐ Decreases uterine contractions ⭐ Prevents seizures in preeclampsa

**Magnesium** *Signs of Toxicity*

* AV node conduction suppression * Muscle weakness * Respiratory depression * Diarrhea **Antidote:** Calcium Gluconate

**Magnesium** Food Sources

* Green leafy vegetables * Nuts, seeds * Whole grains

**Phosphorus** Actions

* Regulates acid base balance * Bone formation * Energy production and storage * Hormone activation

**Phosphorus** Indications

⭐ Deficiency ⭐ May prevent some kidney stone formation

**Phosphorus** *Signs of toxicity: Rare*

* itching * muscle cramps * joint pain * kidney damage * CV issues * bone pain

**Phosphorus** Food Sources

* Dairy products * Meats, poultry, fish, eggs * Nuts and seeds * Legumes (lentils, kidney beans, peas) * Whole grains * Potatoes, asparagus

**Potassium** Actions

* Regulate acid-base balance * Nerve action potentials * Electrical excitability of muscles

**Potassium** Indication

⭐ Deficiency

**Potassium** *Signs of toxicity*

* EKG changes * Muscle cramps * Palpitations *Never give by IV Push*

**Potassium** Food Sources

* Bananas * Potatoes * Spinach * Avocacdo * Oranges * Sweet potatoes * Apricots/dried fruit * Apples

**Vitamins & Minerals** Implementation/Patient Teaching

* Assess patient's general condition * Advise the pt to avoid the use of OTC supplements if taking prescription vitamins/minerals * Take with meals to alleviate GI distress