Fluid & Electrolyte Balance PDF

## Fluid & Electrolyte Balance - **Low potassium levels** can be caused by: - Extreme weight loss programs - Diarrhea - Vomiting - Gastric suction - **Low Potassium levels** can result in: - Skeletal muscle weakness - Cardiac problems - Smooth muscle in the GI tract do...

## Fluid & Electrolyte Balance - **Low potassium levels** can be caused by: - Extreme weight loss programs - Diarrhea - Vomiting - Gastric suction - **Low Potassium levels** can result in: - Skeletal muscle weakness - Cardiac problems - Smooth muscle in the GI tract does not contract properly, causing abdominal distention and a diminished rate of passage of intestinal content. ## Calcium Imbalance - Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. - It serves as a basic structural building block in bone and teeth. - It is essential for: - Normal heartbeat - Functioning of nerves and muscles - Blood coagulation - Many enzymatic reactions - **Homeostatic mechanisms** that regulate calcium levels are vital and failure can result in catastrophic illness. #### Blood calcium ranges: - **Healthy range**: 8.4 to 10.5 mg/dL or 4.2 to 5.25 mEq/L ### Hypercalcemia - Occurs when blood calcium level rises above typical limits. - Can result from: - Excessive intake - Increased absorption - Overdose of vitamin D - Shifts of calcium from bone into the ECF caused by Paget disease, other bone tumors, or hyperparathyroidism - Kidney failure - **Side effects**: - Fatigue - Muscle weakness - Diminished reflexes - Delayed atrioventricular conduction ### Hypocalcemia - May result from: - Dietary calcium deficiency - Decreased absorption or availability - Increased calcium excretion - Diseases such as pancreatitis, hypoparathyroidism ## Science Applications ### The Constancy of the Body - **Claude Bernard (1813-1877)**: - Groundbreaking discoveries in functions of the pancreas and liver - Discovered the existence of muscles that control blood vessel dilation - Wrote a manual on experimental medicine - **Fundamental contribution to human physiology**: the idea that the body is made up of cells living in an internal fluid environment. - **Bernard stated**: - The internal fluid environment of the body is maintained in a relatively constant state - This ensures the survival of the cells and therefore the survival of the whole body. - The concept is called **homeostasis** - **Bernard showed**: - The actions of hormones and other control mechanisms maintain constant conditions in the body's internal fluid environment - Nearly every function of the body somehow relates to the success of keeping body fluids constant. - **Today**: - Nearly every healthcare professional uses concepts based on Bernards original idea to help keep patients alive and healthy. - Those who use these ideas most directly are nurses, health technicians, IV technicians, and other healthcare professionals who care for patients on an hour-by-hour basis. - These professionals must constantly assess the fluid balance of patients and possibly administer therapies to bring their fluids back into balance. - Maintaining a healthy fluid and electrolyte balance is one of the key elements of successful patient care in the modern hospital and clinic.