Fluid, Electrolyte, Metabolic and Respiratory Acid-Base Management

The body is constantly losing water through breathing, sweating, and urinating, which leads to dehydration if not replaced. It may also have trouble excreting fluids which causes excess fluid to build up in the body, which can lead to edema (excess fluid in the skin).

Electrolytes are minerals in the blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge. Electrolytes affect the amount of water in the body, the acidity of the blood (pH), muscle function, and other important processes.

Metabolic acidosis occurs when the body produces too much acid, or when the kidneys are not removing enough acid from the body.

Respiratory acidosis is a condition that occurs when the lungs cannot remove all of the carbon dioxide the body produces. This causes body fluids, especially the blood, to become too acidic (MedlinePlus).

This book is a comprehensive guide to Fluid, Electrolyte, Metabolic and Respiratory Acid-Base Management. Each section begins with an overview of the condition and associated organs, followed by detailed discussion on appropriate treatment techniques.

Key points

• Comprehensive guide to management of fluid, electrolyte, metabolic and respiratory acid-base disorders
• Includes clinical case studies
• Features nearly 130 illustrations and tables

Section 1—Fluid and Electrolyte Abnormalities

• Physiological Principles, Composition and Distribution of Parenteral Fluids
• Fluid Therapy in Pathological States
• Sodium Homeostasis and Renal Regulation of Sodium
• Hyponatremia
• Hypernatremia
• Potassium-Renal and Endocrine Regulation
• Hypokalemia
• Hyperkalemia
• Calcium-Hypocalcemia and Hypercalcemia

Section 2—Approach to Respiratory Acid-Base Disorders

• Overview and Pulmonary Physiology
• Analysis of Respiratory Acid-Base Status
• Therapeutic Considerations in Respiratory
• Acid-Base Disorders
• Worked Examples—Clinical Problem Solving

Section 3—Metabolic Acid-Base Abnormalities

• Maintenance of H+ Ion Balance
• Approach to Arterial Blood Gas Analysis
• Interpretation of Arterial Blood Gas
• The Stewart Approach to Acid-Base
• Metabolic Acidosis
• Metabolic Alkalosis
• Case Histories

A Vimala MBBS MD DM (Nephrology) FRCP (Lond)
Professor of Nephrology, Dr SMCSI Medical College, Karakonam; Consultant Nephrologist, Dr Govindan’s Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India