Fluid & Electrolytes Cheat Sheet

Fluid & Electrolytes Cheat Sheet Electrolyte Potassium 3.5 - 5.0 Function P - Potassium P - Priority! Since it.. P - Pumps the heart & muscles Sodium 135 - 145 S - Sodium S - Swells the body to maintain: • Blood Pressure • Blood Volume • pH balance Chloride 97 - 107 Sodium’s sidekick Maintains: • Blood Pressure • Blood Volume • pH balance Magnesium 1.3 - 2.1 M - Magnesium M - Mellows the M - Muscles (relaxes) HYPER “HIGH” HYPERkalemia (over 5.0) Heart - TIGHT & CONTRACTED 1ST elevation and Peaked T waves 2 Severe = Vfib or Cardiac Standstill! 3 Hypotension, Bradycardia GI TRACT - TIGHT & CONTRACTED 1 Diarrhea 2 Hyperactive bowel sounds NEUROMUSCULAR Phosphate 3.0 - 4.5 Keeps the 3 Bs Strong B - Bone B - Blood B - Beats (heart) Helps with bone & teeth formation. Helps regulate calcium Ca HIGH = Phosphate LOW Ca LOW = Phosphate HIGH HEART - LOW & SLOW 1 Flat T waves, ST depression, & prominent U wave MUSCULAR - LOW & SLOW 1 Decreased DTR 2 Muscle cramping 3 Flaccid paralysis (paralyzed limbs) - TIGHT & CONTRACTED Paralysis in Extremities Increased DTR Profound Muscle Weakness, (General Feeling of heaviness) GI - LOW & SLOW Decreased motility, hypoactive to absent bowel sounds, Constipation Abdominal distention Paralytic ileus, paralyzed intestines! *PRIORITY* for SB0 (small bowel obstruction) HYPERnatremia (over 145) Hyponatermia (below 135) HYPERNATREMIA = BIG & BLOATED 1. SKIN FLUSH ‘’Red & Rosy’’ EDEMA ‘’waterbed skin’’ LOW GRADE FEVER 2. POLYDIPSIA EXCESS THIRST 3. LATE SERIOUS SIGN SWOLLEN dry tongue NCLEX TIP GI = nausea & vomiting NCLEX TIP INCREASED muscle tone NCLEX TIP HYPONATREMIA - DEPRESSED & DEFLATED NEURO = Seizures & Coma HEART = Tachycardia, & weak thready pulses RESPIRATORY ARREST HYPERchloremia (over 107) Hypochloremia (below 97) t NEARLY SAME AS HIGH SODIUM NAUSEA & VOMITING SWOLLEN DRY TONGUE CONFUSION NEARLY SAME AS LOW SODIUM EXCESSIVE DIARRHEA, VOMITING, SWEATING FEVER TEST TIP: ONLY DIFFERENCE HYPERmagnesemia (over 2.1) Hypomagnesemia (below 1.3) 1. CARDIAC - CALM & QUIET Heart block Prolonged PR intervals VITALS = bradycardia, hypotension 2. DEEP TENDON REFLEXES CALM & QUIET Hyporeflexia - Decreased DTR 3. LUNGS - CALM & QUIET Depressed shallow respirations 3. GI - CALM & QUIET Hypoactive bowel sounds 1. CARDIAC - BUCK WILD! EKG: ST depression, T wave inversion Torsades de pointes SEVERE = V fib VITALS = Tachycardia 2. DEEP TENDON REFLEXES - BUCK WILD Hyporeflexia - increased DTR 3. EYES - BUCK WILD Abnormal eye movements (nystagmus) 4. GI - BUCK WILD Diarhea HYPERcalcemia (over 10.5) Calcium 9.0 - 10.5 Hypo “low” Hypokalemia (below 3.5) SWOLLEN & SLOW - MOANS, GROANS & STONES 1. CONSTIPATION 2. BONE PAIN 3. STONES Renal Calculi (kidney stones) 4. DEEP TENDON REFLEXES Decreased DTR Severe muscle weakness Hypocalcemia (below 9.0) T - Trousseau’s T - Twerking arm with BP cuff on C - Chvostek’s C - Cheek smile when touched Diarrhea Circumoral tingling Weak bones HYPERphosphatemia (over 4.5) Hypophosphatemia (below 3.0) ‘’LOW CALCIUM’’ BAJA CA+ 1. TROUSSEAU’S SIGNS 2. CHVOSTEK’S SIGNS 3. DIARRHEA 4. WEAK Bs Strong bones? WEAK! (fractures) Strong blood clotting? WEAK! (risk for bleeding) Strong heart beats? WEAK! (cardiac dysrhymias) Swollen & SLOW - MOAN, GROANS & STONES 1. CONSTIPATION 2. DECREASED DTR & SEVERE MUSCLE WEAKNESS 3. DECREASED HR, RR 4. INCREASED BP *Disclaimer: Values above are based on NCLEX standards, many books & hospitals will differ in their values.