Diabetes Insipidus Nursing Management

Body Composition

• Water accounts for approximately 55-60% of an adult's body weight.

Fluid Compartments

• The intracellular fluid compartment has a higher percentage of water in lean body mass.

Hormones and Electrolytes

• Osmolality suppresses the release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH).
• Aldosterone causes sodium and water retention.
• Natriuretic peptides released by the heart promote sodium excretion and reduce blood volume.
• Parathyroid hormone (PTH) regulates electrolytes by increasing calcium levels and reducing phosphate levels.

Potassium

• The normal range for potassium levels in the serum is 3.5-5.5 mEq/L.
• The primary role of sodium in the body is to regulate fluid balance and blood pressure.
• A common cause of hypernatremia is dehydration.
• Hypernatremia can cause headache, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.

Calcium

• The main function of Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) is to regulate calcium levels.
• A common sign of hypocalcemia is muscle cramps.
• A potential harm of hypocalcemia is tetany or seizures.

Magnesium

• The majority of magnesium is contained in bones.
• A common sign of hypermagnesemia is respiratory depression.
• The initial symptom of hypermagnesemia is often weakness or fatigue.
• The recommended intervention for hypermagnesemia is calcium gluconate administration.
• A common manifestation of hypomagnesemia is muscle cramps.

Phosphorus

• Phosphorus has an inverse relationship with calcium levels.
• A potential harm of hyperphosphatemia is soft tissue calcification.
• A key function of phosphorus in the body is energy production.
• A possible intervention for hyperphosphatemia is phosphate binders.
• A common cause of hypophosphatemia is malnutrition.

Potassium

• The major intracellular cation that plays a crucial role in maintaining cardiac rhythms and resting membrane potential of nerve and muscle cells is potassium.
• Sodium polystyrene sulfonate is indicated in the management of hyperkalemia to force potassium from extracellular fluid to intracellular fluid.

Calcium

• The primary source of calcium in the body is diet.
• A condition characterized by manifestations such as fatigue, confusion, muscle cramps, and life-threatening arrhythmias is hypocalcemia.
• The gold standard medication in the management of hypercalcemia is bisphosphonates.

Magnesium

• Magnesium has an inverse relationship with sodium and is essential for nerve impulse transmission and blood clotting.
• Magnesium imbalance may lead to manifestations such as laryngeal stridor, dysrhythmias, and numbness/tingling around the mouth or extremities.

Learn about the nursing and interprofessional management strategies for diabetes insipidus, including fluid restriction, loop diuretics, demeclocycline, IV hypertonic saline solution, fluid replacement, and drugs that block vasopressin (ADH). Understand how to differentiate treatments based on the cause of the condition.