Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
As hyperkalemia advances, the end result is cardiac arrest, usually from disintegration into ventricular fibrillation, pulseless electrical activity or asystole. A serum potassium level of 10.0 mEq/L is usually fatal.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Nearly any cardiac arrhythmia can be seen with hyperkalemia, including heart blocks, bradydysrhythmias, pseudoinfarction ST-segment elevation, Brugada pattern and the classic “sine wave” pattern.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Hyperkalemia causes cardiotoxicity by increasing the resting membrane potential of the cardiac myocyte, causing “membrane excitability” and conversely, sluggish depolarization, as well as decreased duration of repolarization.

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Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Hyperkalemia usually develops from impaired renal excretion or intracellular release. However, in advanced chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal disease, dietary intake of potassium may be a significant factor in its development.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Hyperkalemia, defined as serum potassium level greater than 5.0 mEq/L, is the most dangerous acute electrolyte abnormality, potentially leading to life-threatening arrhythmias and death.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Metabolic alkalosis occurs from loss of H⁺ or retention of HCO3⁻. It is usually a consequence of prolonged vomiting or nasogastric suction or compensation for chronic respiratory acidosis.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Alcoholic ketoacidosis (AKA) causes an elevated anion gap metabolic acidosis. AKA can occur when a long-standing ethanol user abruptly stops drinking. Ketones are generated by a combination of malnutrition and dehydration.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) may be manifested atypically with chief complaints of vomiting, abdominal pain and/or altered mental status. DKA is often caused by medication noncompliance, but may complicate any physiologic stress.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a common acid-base disorder defined by hyperglycemia, ketonemia and acidemia. Patients with DKA classically complain of progressive polyuria, polydipsia and malaise.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Causes of lactic acidosis (increased production of lactate) can be divided into hypoxic or hypoperfusion states (shock) and exogenous cellular toxins, such as cyanide and carbon monoxide.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Metabolic acidosis, defined by a reduced serum bicarbonate concentration, occurs when acids are added by intrinsic processes or from exogenous sources, acid excretion is impaired or there is inappropriate loss of alkali.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Pregnant women may hyperventilate throughout gestation and normally have a PCO₂ between 31 and 35 mm Hg, serum pH between 7.46 and 7.50 and serum bicarbonate concentration between 18 and 22 mEq/L.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
If respiratory alkalosis persists, the kidneys excrete bicarbonate and retain chloride, leading to a compensatory metabolic acidosis, with reduced serum HCO₃^-, hypokalemia and hyperchloremia.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Blood pH alters the binding affinity of calcium for albumin. When the pH lowers, calcium loses some affinity for albumin (increasing free calcium). When the pH increases, calcium binds more strongly to albumin (decreasing free calcium).