Fluid, Electrolyte & Acid-Base Balance RN Flashcards

Vocabulary style flashcards generated from the Fluid, Electrolyte & Acid-Base Balance RN Student Study Guide, capturing fluid compartments, movement processes, electrolyte imbalances, normal ranges, acid-base disorders, and ABG interpretation.

Intracellular Fluid (ICF)

Fluid inside cells comprising about 2/3 of total body water, where the major intracellular cation is $K^+$ and major intracellular anions are phosphate and proteins.

Extracellular Fluid (ECF)

Fluid outside cells comprising about 1/3 of total body water, divided into intravascular, interstitial, and transcellular fluid compartments.

Intravascular Fluid

Plasma inside blood vessels that is important for maintaining circulating blood volume and blood pressure.

Interstitial Fluid

The portion of extracellular fluid found in the spaces between cells and tissues.

Transcellular Fluid

Specialized extracellular fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), synovial fluid, pleural fluid, and peritoneal fluid.

Osmosis

The process by which water moves across a semipermeable membrane toward the area with higher solute concentration.

Diffusion

The movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.

Filtration

The movement of water and small solutes across a membrane caused by hydrostatic pressure.

Fluid Volume Deficit

A condition occurring when fluid loss exceeds intake, resulting in decreased circulating volume, decreased venous return, decreased cardiac output, and decreased tissue perfusion.

Fluid Volume Excess

A condition characterized by excessive retention of sodium and water, causing increased vascular volume, increased hydrostatic pressure, and fluid movement into tissues resulting in edema.

Hyponatremia

A serum sodium level $<135\,mmol/L$, causing water to move into cells and lead to brain-cell swelling with neurological symptoms such as headache, confusion, lethargy, cramps, and seizures.

Hypernatremia

A serum sodium level $>145\,mmol/L$, representing too little water relative to sodium and characterized by thirst, irritability, confusion, and cellular dehydration.

Hypokalemia

A serum potassium level $<3.5\,mmol/L$, causing weakness, fatigue, cramps, constipation, dysrhythmias, and ECG changes including flattened T waves, ST depression, and U waves.

Hyperkalemia

A serum potassium level $>5.0\,mmol/L$, causing muscle weakness and dangerous dysrhythmias with ECG changes such as peaked T waves, widened QRS complexes, and cardiac arrest.

Hypocalcemia

A condition of low serum calcium presenting with numbness/tingling, cramps, tetany, seizures, dysrhythmias, and positive Chvostek and Trousseau signs.

Hypercalcemia

An elevated serum calcium level commonly associated with hyperparathyroidism or malignancy, presenting as 'stones, bones, groans, psychiatric overtones' (kidney stones, bone pain, GI discomfort/constipation, and confusion/lethargy).

Hypomagnesemia

A low serum magnesium level characterized by tremors, weakness, hyperreflexia, seizures, and dysrhythmias.

Hypermagnesemia

An elevated serum magnesium level often seen in renal impairment, causing hyporeflexia, weakness, hypotension, respiratory depression, and cardiac arrest.

Respiratory Acidosis

An acid-base disorder caused by excess $CO_2$ retention from hypoventilation, presenting with a low pH ($<7.35$) and elevated $PaCO_2$ ($>45\,mmHg$).

Metabolic Acidosis

An acid-base disorder caused by excessive acid or loss of bicarbonate, presenting with a low pH ($<7.35$) and decreased $HCO_3^-$ ($<22\,mmol/L$).

Respiratory Alkalosis

An acid-base disorder caused by excess $CO_2$ elimination through hyperventilation, presenting with an elevated pH ($>7.45$) and decreased $PaCO_2$ ($<35\,mmHg$).

Metabolic Alkalosis

An acid-base disorder caused by excess bicarbonate or loss of acid, presenting with an elevated pH ($>7.45$) and elevated $HCO_3^-$ ($>26\,mmol/L$).

ROME Mnemonic

An ABG interpretation tool standing for Respiratory = Opposite (pH and $PaCO_2$ move in opposite directions) and Metabolic = Equal (pH and $HCO_3^-$ move in the same direction).

Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)

A condition where insulin deficiency leads to fat breakdown and ketone production, consuming $HCO_3^-$ to cause metabolic acidosis, which triggers hyperventilation/Kussmaul respirations as respiratory compensation.

Normal Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) Ranges

Standard clinical values defined as pH $7.35{-}7.45$, $PaCO_2$ $35{-}45\,mmHg$, $HCO_3^-$ $22{-}26\,mmol/L$, $PaO_2$ $80{-}100\,mmHg$, and $SaO_2$ $95{-}100\%$.

Normal Electrolyte Reference Ranges

Typical values including $Na^+$ $135{-}145\,mmol/L$, $K^+$ $3.5{-}5.0\,mmol/L$, $Ca^{2+}$ $\sim 2.15{-}2.60\,mmol/L$, $Mg^{2+}$ $\sim 0.70{-}1.05\,mmol/L$, $Cl^-$ $98{-}106\,mmol/L$, $HCO_3^-$ $22{-}26\,mmol/L$, and Phosphate $\sim 0.8{-}1.5\,mmol/L$.