Nursing HDP401 Lecture Notes - Lecture 34: Calcium Gluconate, Regular Insulin, Alkalosis
Document Summary
98% of potassium is found intracellular with 3 4 of the total body potassium in skeletal muscles. Potassium depletion (hypokalemia): k + less than 3. 5 millimol. Clinical symptoms and signs such as listlessness, slurred speech, muscular hypotonia, and depressed reflexes are presenting features. Oral potassium in the form of milk, meat extracts, fruit juices, honey and kcl tablets 40 mmol. Kcl iv added to 1 liter of fluid run over 6 -8 hours. Note:- administration should be properly controlled, the level of potassium should be checked daily and the urine out put must be adequate. Potassium excess (hyperkalemia): k + more than 5 mmol. Significant quantity of intracellular potassium is released into the extra cellular space in response to severe injury, surgery, acidosis and a catabolic state. A significant rise in serum potassium concentration may occur in these states in the presence of oliguric or anuric renal failure. A renal insufficiency with hypoaldosteronism can cause hyperkalemia.