Fluid and Electrolyte Balance Vocabulary

Flashcards covering essential fluid balance terms, electrolyte normal ranges, dynamic capillary pressures, and hyper/hypo electrolyte imbalance clinical manifestations from the lecture notes.

Hydrostatic Pressure

A pushing pressure exerted against blood vessel walls that increases as fluid volume increases.

Osmotic/Oncotic Pressure

A pulling pressure regulated by solutes and proteins that causes water to move from areas of lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration.

Albumin

The major circulating protein responsible for maintaining intravascular oncotic pressure and circulating volume.

Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)

A hormone released by the posterior pituitary gland that increases water permeability in the distal tubules and collecting ducts of the kidneys, leading to increased water reabsorption and decreased diuresis.

Aldosterone

A hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex that promotes sodium and water retention while causing potassium excretion.

ANP and BNP

Atrial Natriuretic Peptide and B-type Natriuretic Peptide; cardiac regulators released in response to increased atrial/ventricular pressure and high sodium levels that suppress aldosterone, renin, and ADH to promote sodium and water excretion.

Colloids

Intravascular fluid volume expanders such as Albumin, Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP), Blood, and Hespan used to shift or increase fluid volume within the vascular space.

Hypovolemia

An intravascular and/or extracellular fluid volume deficit characterized by low organ perfusion, hypotension, tachycardia, dry mucous membranes, poor skin turgor, and oliguria.

Hypervolemia

An excessive fluid volume state characterized by rapid weight gain, hypertension, tachycardia, bounding pulses, dyspnea, crackles in the lungs, and edema.

Normal Serum Sodium Range

$$135-145\,mEq/L$$

Hypernatremia

A serum sodium level greater than $145\,mEq/L$, resulting from water loss or sodium gain, characterized by agitation, restlessness, altered mental status, intense thirst, and dry mucous membranes.

Hyponatremia

A serum sodium level less than $135\,mEq/L$, resulting from sodium loss or water gain, characterized by headache, confusion, nausea, vomiting, and potential seizures or coma.

Normal Serum Chloride Range

$$96-106\,mEq/L$$

Normal Serum Potassium Range

$$3.5-5.0\,mEq/L$$

Hyperkalemia

A serum potassium level greater than $5.0\,mEq/L$, presenting with anxiety, muscle twitching, diarrhea, and EKG changes including peaked T waves, flat P waves, and widening QRS complexes.

Hypokalemia

A serum potassium level less than $3.5\,mEq/L$, presenting with fatigue, muscle weakness, constipation, sluggishness, and EKG changes including flat T waves, depressed ST segments, and prominent U waves.

Normal Serum Calcium Range

$$8.6-10.2\,mg/dL$$

Hypercalcemia

A serum calcium level greater than $10.2\,mg/dL$, summarized as 'Moans, stones, groans, and bones,' presenting with lethargy, depressed deep tendon reflexes, anorexia, constipation, nephrolithiasis, and bone pain.

Hypocalcemia

A serum calcium level less than $8.6\,mg/dL$, summarized as 'CATS go NUMB' (Convulsions, Arrhythmias, Tetany, Spasms/Numbness), presenting with hyperreflexia, laryngeal spasms, positive Chvostek's sign, and positive Trousseau's sign.

Chvostek's Sign

A clinical indicator of hypocalcemia consisting of involuntary facial muscle twitching elicited by tapping over the facial nerve.

Trousseau's Sign

A clinical indicator of hypocalcemia characterized by carpal spasm induced by inflating a blood pressure cuff above systolic pressure for several minutes.

Normal Serum Magnesium Range

$$1.5-2.5\,mEq/L$$

Hypermagnesemia

A serum magnesium level greater than $2.5\,mEq/L$, causing lethargy, drowsiness, diminished deep tendon reflexes, bradycardia, hypotension, and respiratory depression.

Hypomagnesemia

A serum magnesium level less than $1.5\,mEq/L$, causing confusion, tremors, hyperactive deep tendon reflexes, tetany, and critical EKG changes such as Torsades de Pointes.

Normal Serum Phosphorus Range

$$2.4-4.4\,mg/dL$$

Hyperphosphatemia

A serum phosphorus level greater than $4.4\,mg/dL$, often resulting from renal failure, leading to numbness, tingling, hyperreflexia, tetany, and calcium-phosphate precipitates.

Hypophosphatemia

A serum phosphorus level less than $2.4\,mg/dL$, often resulting from malnourishment or alcohol withdrawal, causing CNS depression, dyspnea, muscle weakness, and decreased cardiac output.