Fluid & Electrolytes Cheat Sheet
ELECTROLYTE FUNCTION HYPER HYPO
Potassium 3.5 - 5.0 P - Potassium P - Priority! HYPERkalemia (over 5.0) Hypokalemia (below 3.0)
Since it P - Pumps the
heart & muscles Heart - TIGHT & HEART - LOW & SLOW
CONTRACTED
1- Flat T waves, ST
1ST elevation and Peaked T depression, & prominent U
waves wave MUSCULAR - LOW &
2 Severe = Vfib or Cardiac SLOW 1 Decreased DTR
Standstill!
2- Muscle cramping
3 Hypotension, Bradycardia
GI TRACT - TIGHT & 3- Flaccid paralysis
CONTRACTED (paralyzed limbs) GI - LOW
1 Diarrhea & SLOW Decreased motility,
2 Hyperactive bowel sounds hypoactive to absent bowel
sounds, Constipation
NEUROMUSCULAR Abdominal distention
- TIGHT & CONTRACTED Paralytic ileus, paralyzed
Paralysis in Extremities intestines! *PRIORITY* for
Increased DTR SBO (small bowel
Profound Muscle obstruction)
Weakness, (General Feeling
of heaviness)
Sodium 135 - 145 S – Sodium HYPERnatremia (over 145) Hyponatermia (below 135)
S - Swells the body to HYPONATREMIA -
maintain: HYPERNATREMIA = BIG & DEPRESSED & DEFLATED
• Blood pressure BLOATED NEURO = Seizures & Coma
• Blood Volume HEART = Tachycardia, &
• pH balance 1. SKIN FLUSH ‘’Red & weak thready pulses
Rosy’’ EDEMA ‘’waterbed RESPIRATORY ARREST
skin’’ LOW GRADE FEVER
2. POLYDIPSIA - EXCESS
THIRST
3. LATE SERIOUS -
SIGN SWOLLEN dry tongue
GI = nausea & vomiting
INCREASED muscle tone
Chloride 97 - 107 Sodium’s side kick HYPERchloremia (over 107) Hypochloremia (below 97)
Maintains: • Blood NEARLY SAME AS HIGH NEARLY SAME AS LOW
pressure • Blood Volume SODIUM NAUSEA & SODIUM EXCESSIVE
• pH balance VOMITING SWOLLEN DRY DIARRHEA, VOMITING,
TONGUE CONFUSION SWEATING FEVER TEST TIP:
ONLY DIFFERENCE
Magnesium 1.3 - M – Magnesium HYPERmagnesemia (over Hypomagnesemia (below
2.1 M - Mellows the 2.1) 1.3)
M - Muscles (relaxes)
1. CARDIAC - CALM & QUIET 1. CARDIAC - BUCK WILD!
Heart block Prolonged PR EKG: ST depression, T wave
intervals VITALS = inversion Torsades de
bradycardia, Hypotension pointes SEVERE = V fib
2. DEEP TENDON REFLEXES VITALS = Tachycardia
- CALM & QUIET 2. DEEP TENDON REFLEXES
Hyporeflexia - Decreased - BUCK WILD! Hyporeflexia -
DTR increased DTR
3. LUNGS - CALM & QUIET 3. EYES - BUCK WILD!
Depressed Shallow Abnormal eye movements
respirations (nystagmus)
4. GI - CALM & QUIET 4. GI - BUCK WILD! Diarrhea
Hypoactive bowel sounds
Calcium 9.0 - 10.5 Keeps the 3 B’s Strong HYPERcalcemia (over 10.5) Hypocalcemia (below 9.0)
B - Bone 1. T - Trousseau’s
B - Blood SWOLLEN & SLOW - T - Twerking arm with BP
B - Beats (heart) MOANS, GROANS & cuff on
STONES 1. CONSTIPATION 2. C - Chvostek’s C - Cheek
2. BONE PAIN smile when touched
3. STONES Renal Calculi 3. Diarrhea
(kidney stones) 4. Circumoral tingling
4. DEEP TENDON REFLEXES 5. Weak bones
Decreased DTR Severe
muscle weakness
Phosphate 3.0 - 4.5 Helps with bone & teeth HYPERphosphatemia (over Hypophosphatemia (below
formation. Helps 4.5) ‘’LOW CALCIUM’’ 3.0) Swollen & SLOW -
regulate calcium Ca HIGH MOAN, GROANS & STONES
= Phosphate LOW Ca 1. TROUSSEAU’S SIGNS
LOW = Phosphate HIGH 2. CHVOSTEK’S SIGNS 1. CONSTIPATION
3. DIARRHEA 2. DECREASED DTR &
4. WEAK B’s SEVERE MUSCLE WEAKNESS
Strong bones? 3. DECREASED HR, RR 4.
WEAK! (fractures) INCREASED BP
Strong blood clotting?
WEAK! (Risk for bleeding)
Strong heart beats?
WEAK! (Cardiac
dysrhythmias)
