Fluid and Electrolytes Review (Unit 4)

Flashcards covering fluid composition, transport mechanisms, tonicity, fluid volume imbalances, electrolyte levels (Na, K, Ca, Mg), and IV complications as discussed in the Unit 4 lecture.

Total Body Water

The amount of water in the body, which accounts for about $60\%$ of the weight of a healthy adult, varying by age and gender.

Intracellular Fluid (ICF)

Fluid located inside the cell.

Extracellular Fluid (ECF)

Fluid located outside of the cell, including interstitial, intravascular, and transcellular types.

Interstitial Fluid

A type of extracellular fluid found within the tissues.

Intravascular Fluid

A type of extracellular fluid found inside of the blood vessels.

Transcellular Fluid

Fluid located in specific areas such as cerebral spinal fluid, pleural fluid, synovial fluid, paracardal fluid, and fluid in the eyes.

Crystalloids

Solutes that dissolve easily in fluid.

Colloids

Solutes that do not dissolve easily in fluid.

Electrolytes

Solutes such as potassium, sodium, and calcium that are measured in $MEQ$ or milliequivalents per liter.

Osmosis

The movement of water from an area of lower concentration of solutes to an area of higher concentration of solutes.

Filtration

The movement of fluid and solutes together from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure.

Diffusion

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

Homeostasis

A state of balance maintained in the body.

Hypotonic

A type of fluid that contains fewer particles relative to the amount of fluid.

Isotonic

A type of fluid that contains an equal balance of particles and fluid.

Hypertonic

A type of fluid that contains more particles relative to the amount of fluid.

Hypervolemia

A condition characterized by having more volume or fluid relative to the number of particles.

Hypovolemia

An isotonic fluid volume deficit where there is less fluid relative to particles; often caused by hemorrhages, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Dehydration

A hypertonic fluid volume deficit often caused by diabetes insipidus, diuretics, or prolonged vomiting and diarrhea.

Urine Specific Gravity

A laboratory measurement that is greater than $1.03$ in fluid deficits and less than $1.005$ in fluid excess.

Hyponatremia

A sodium level of less than $135\,mEq/L$; symptoms include lethargy, confusion, and muscle cramping.

Hypernatremia

A sodium level greater than $145\,mEq/L$; symptoms include thirst, dry sticky mucous membranes, and hallucinations.

Hypokalemia

A potassium level below $3.5\,mEq/L$; leads to weak irregular pulses, muscle weakness, and cardiac dysrhythmias.

Hyperkalemia

A potassium level greater than $5.0\,mEq/L$; commonly caused by renal failure and can result in flaccid paralysis or cardiac arrest.

Hypocalcemia

A calcium level below $9\,mg/dL$; clinical signs include numbness/tingling around the mouth and positive torsos and chopstick signs.

Hypercalcemia

A calcium level greater than $10.5\,mg/dL$; associated with prolonged bed rest, bone cancer, and kidney stones.

Hypomagnesium

A magnesium level below $1.5\,mEq/L$; symptoms include increased reflexes, tremors, tachycardia, and elevated blood pressure.

Hypermagnesium

A magnesium level greater than $2.5\,mEq/L$; symptoms include peripheral vasodilation, warm flushed skin, hypotension, and bradycardia.

Pitting Edema (Scale 1+ to 4+)

A scale characterizing indentation from $2\,mm$ ($1+$) to $8\,mm$ ($4+$) used to assess fluid volume excess.

Brawny Edema

Edema characterized by obvious swelling that is too hard to be indented by pressure.

Infiltration

An IV complication where fluid enters the tissue, causing swelling, tenderness, coolness at the site, and skin blanching.

Blanching

A phenomenon where the skin loses color in the area where pressure is applied, common in cases of IV infiltration.

Extravasation

A severe form of IV infiltration involving a medication that causes tissue damage or leaking skin.

K oxalate

A laxative used as a slow method to help remove potassium from the body.

Cathartic

A powerful laxative, such as mag citrate, which can clean the system but also cause high magnesium levels.