Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid–Base Balance Practice Flashcards

These vocabulary flashcards cover the fundamental concepts of fluid and electrolyte balance, including body compartments, transport mechanisms, electrolyte imbalances, and acid-base regulation based on the provided lecture transcript.

Intracellular fluid (ICF)

The fluid within cells, constituting about $70\%$ of the total body water or about $40\%$ of the adult’s body weight.

Extracellular fluid (ECF)

All the fluid outside the cells, accounting for about $30\%$ of the total body water or about $20\%$ of the adult’s body weight.

Interstitial fluid

The fluid that surrounds tissue cells and includes lymph.

Intravascular fluid (plasma)

The liquid component of the blood found within the vascular system.

Sensible losses

Fluid losses that can be measured, including urination, defecation, and wound drainage.

Insensible losses

Fluid losses that cannot be measured or seen, such as evaporation through the skin and water vapor from the lungs during respiration.

Electrolytes

Substances capable of breaking into particles called ions, which carry an electrical charge.

Cations

Ions that develop a positive charge, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, hydrogen, and magnesium.

Anions

Ions that develop a negative charge, such as chloride, bicarbonate, and phosphate.

Osmosis

The process by which water (the solvent) passes from an area of lesser solute concentration to an area of greater solute concentration until equilibrium is established.

Osmolarity

The concentration (number) of particles dissolved in a solution, influencing the movement of fluid between compartments.

Isotonic solution

A solution that has about the same osmolality as plasma ($280\,mOsm/L$) and remains in the intravascular compartment without net flow across the semipermeable membrane.

Hypertonic solution

A solution with greater osmolality than plasma, causing water to move out of the cells and into the intravascular compartment, leading cells to shrink.

Hypotonic solution

A solution with less osmolality than plasma, causing fluid to move into the intracellular fluid and making cells swell.

Diffusion

The tendency of solutes to move freely from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration until equilibrium is established.

Active transport

A process requiring energy ($ATP$) to move substances through a cell membrane against the concentration gradient, from lesser to higher solute concentration.

Hydrostatic pressure

The "pushing" force of blood against the walls of the capillaries which forces fluids and solutes out into the interstitial space.

Colloid osmotic pressure (oncotic pressure)

The "pulling" force exerted by plasma proteins, particularly albumin, to facilitate the reabsorption of fluid back into the capillaries.

Acid

A substance containing hydrogen ions ($H^+$) that can be liberated or released, such as carbonic acid.

Base (alkali)

A substance that can accept or trap hydrogen ions ($H^+$), such as the bicarbonate ion.

pH

An expression of $H^+$ ion concentration and the resulting acidity or alkalinity of a substance, with a normal blood plasma range of $7.35$ to $7.45$.

Buffer

A substance that prevents body fluids from becoming overly acidic or alkaline by combining with or releasing hydrogen ions.

Hypovolemia

An isotonic fluid loss involving the loss of both water and solutes in the same proportion from the ECF space.

Third-space fluid shift

The distributional shift of body fluids into transcellular compartments (like pleural or peritoneal areas) where the fluid is trapped and unavailable for use.

Edema

The accumulation of excessive extracellular fluid in either the intravascular compartments or interstitial spaces.

Hyponatremia

A sodium deficit in the ECF where serum sodium levels are less than $135\,mEq/L$.

Hypernatremia

A surplus of sodium in the ECF where serum sodium levels are greater than $145\,mEq/L$.

Hypokalemia

A potassium deficit in the ECF where serum potassium levels are less than $3.5\,mEq/L$.

Hyperkalemia

An excess of potassium in the ECF where serum potassium levels are greater than $5\,mEq/L$.

Infiltration

The inadvertent leakage of nonvesicant intravenous (IV) solution into the surrounding subcutaneous tissue.

Extravasation

The inadvertent leakage of a vesicant intravenous (IV) solution into the surrounding tissue.

Phlebitis

Inflammation of the wall of a vein, often due to mechanical or chemical trauma.

Speed shock

The body’s reaction to a substance that is injected into the circulatory system too rapidly.

Autologous transfusion

A blood transfusion technique where a patient donates their own blood to eliminate risks of cross-infection and mismatched blood.

Parenteral nutrition (PN)

The administration of highly concentrated, hypertonic nutrient support via the intravenous route.