Electrolyte Imbalances

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering key electrolytes, their functions, normal/abnormal levels, and clinical signs of imbalance.

Electrolytes

Ions primarily found in fluids that create electrical energy to help the body maintain normal functioning, mainly in the muscles, nerves, heart, and brain.

Potassium

The electrolyte responsible for maintaining heart and muscle contraction.

Hyperkalemia

A potassium level over $5.0$, causing tight and contracted muscles and heart symptoms such as ST elevation, peaked T-waves, wide QRS complexes, V-fib, cardiac standstill, hypotension, bradycardia, diarrhea, hyperactive bowel sounds, paralysis in extremities, paresthesia, increased DTRs, and profound muscle weakness.

Hypokalemia

A potassium level less than $3.5$ (symptoms typically appearing below $3.0$), causing low and slow responses such as flat T-waves, ST depression, prominent U waves, decreased DTRs, flaccid paralysis, hypoactive bowel sounds, constipation, abdominal distension, and paralytic ileus.

Paralytic Ileus

A paralyzed intestine caused by severe hypokalemia that can lead to a small bowel obstruction (SBO).

Sodium

An electrolyte responsible for maintaining blood pressure, blood volume, and pH balance.

Hypernatremia

High sodium level resulting in a big and bloated state characterized by flushed red cheeks, edematous skin, low-grade fever, polydipsia, swollen dry tongue, nausea, vomiting, and increased muscle tone.

Hyponatremia

Low sodium level leading to priority complications such as seizures, coma, tachycardia, weak thready pulses, and respiratory arrest.

Chloride

An electrolyte that closely follows sodium and functions to maintain blood volume, blood pressure, and pH in body fluids.

Magnesium

An electrolyte that maintains law and order in the muscles by calming them down (mainly in the heart, uterus, and DTRs) and is required for calcium and vitamin D absorption.

Hypermagnesemia

Excessive magnesium level causing all organs to be calm and quiet, resulting in heart blocks, prolonged PR intervals, bradycardia, hypotension, hyporeflexia (decreased DTRs), depressed shallow respirations, and hypoactive bowel sounds.

Hypomagnesemia

Low magnesium level leading to hyperactive organ systems characterized by torsades de pointes, V-fib, tachycardia, ST depression, T-wave inversion, hyperreflexia (increased DTRs), nystagmus, and diarrhea.

Calcium

An electrolyte whose main function is to keep the 3 Bs strong: bones, blood (clotting factors), and beats (heartbeats).

Hypercalcemia

High calcium level causing swollen and slow symptoms ('moans, groans, and stones'), including constipation, bone pain, renal calculi (kidney stones), decreased DTRs, and severe muscle weakness.

Hypocalcemia

Low calcium level resulting in Trousseau's sign (Travasier sign), Chvostek's sign (Shivox sign), diarrhea, circumoral tingling, weak bones (risk for fractures), weak blood (risk for bleeding), and weak beats (cardiac dysrhythmias).

Trousseau's Sign (Travasier Sign)

An arm muscle spasm/twerk triggered by inflating a blood pressure cuff, indicating hypocalcemia or hyperphosphatemia.

Chvostek's Sign (Shivox Sign)

Facial twitching or smiling induced by stroking the cheek, indicating hypocalcemia or hyperphosphatemia.

Phosphate

An electrolyte essential for bone and teeth formation that works inversely with calcium.

Hyperphosphatemia

High phosphate level that presents with symptoms of low calcium, including Trousseau's sign, Chvostek's sign, diarrhea, weak bones (fracture risk), weak blood (bleeding risk), and cardiac dysrhythmias.

Hypophosphatemia

Low phosphate level that presents with symptoms of high calcium, including constipation, decreased DTRs, severe muscle weakness, bradycardia, decreased respiratory rate, and renal calculi.