Water, Electrolyte, &

Acid-Based Balance

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PowerPoint designed by fellow student J.H.

A few extras were added by me.
 What is it?
• The maintaining of H2O & electrolytes of same amount in & out. Altering the
H2O balance affects the electrolyte balance.
• Fluid compartments:
– Intercellular – inside the cell. 63% of fluid
– Extracellular - 37% of fluid
• Interstitial - within tissue space around cells. Most abundant
• Plasma – makes up interstitial fluid
• Lymph - interstitial becomes this
-Transcellular:
– CSF - cerebral spinal fluid
– Humors in eye - aqueous and vitreous
– Synovial fluid – between joints
– Serous fluid – serous membrane
– Exocrine gland secretions - tears, sweat, digestive juices,
seminal fluid

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 Cells
Movement:
• Hydrostatic and osmotic pressure regulate fluid movements
– Hydrostatic – fluid leaves plasma due to blood pressure
– Osmotic – pushes interstitial fluid into lymph vessels, pulls H2O back
into capillaries, and regulates fluid movement into and out of cells.
Composition:
• Intracellular
– High K+ (potassium), PO4- (phosphate), & Mg+2 (magnesium)
– More SO4-2 (sulfate)
– Low Na+ (sodium), Cl- (chloride), & HCO3- (bicarbonate)
• Extracellular
– High Na, Cl, & HCO3
– More Ca+2 (calcium)
– Lower K, Mg, PO4, & SO4

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Water balance (intake = loss)
• Intake:
– 2.5L/day
– 60% beverages, 30% food, 10% oxidative metabolism
– Thirst is the primary regulator of H2O intake
• Hypothalamus – contains thirst center
• Osmoreceptors
• Output:
– Urine Production is the primary regulator
• 60% Urine, 6% Feces, 6% Sweat, 28% Evaporation & Lungs
• Regulation by DCT and CD of Nephron
– only permeable if ADH is present ~ alcohol lessens ADH production
• Disorders:
– Diabetes Insipidus
• Polyuria - excessive urination
• Polydipsia - excessive thirst
• Drugs:
– Diuretic - increases urine volume
– Antidiuretic - decreases urine volume

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 Electrolyte Balance
• Essential ions:
– Sodium
– Potassium
– Magnesium
– Chloride
– Sulfate
– Phosphate
– bicarbonate
• Found in foods, beverages, and by products of metabolic process
• Losses – vary with temperature and physical activity
– Sweat
– Feces
– Urine

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 Regulation of Ion Balance
• Most important – Na+, K+, Ca++
– Na+ regulated by:
• Kidneys
• Aldosterone from adrenal cortex
• DCT and CD of nephron
– K+ regulated by
• Kidneys
• Aldosterone
• DCT and CD of nephron
– Na++ regulated by
• PTH - increases blood calcium
• Calcitonin - from thyroid, decreases blood calcium

• Phosphate ions are partially reabsorbed by limited active transport

• Chloride is passively reabsorbed due to electrochemical gradient caused by
active reabsorption of sodium.

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Acid-Base Balance by regulating
H+
Acids – release H+ in solution
Bases - combine with H+ in solution
• CO2 + H2O   H2CO3   H+ + HCO3--
• Lactic acid - anaerobic respiration of glucose in skeletal muscle
• Ketone bodies - incomplete fatty acid oxidation
• Sulfuric acid - oxidation of amino acids
• Phosphoric acid - hydrolysis of phosoproteins and nucleoproteins

*** all of these acids lower pH of blood***

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 Regulation of H+
• Buffer system – Sets of 2 or more chemicals converting strong acids into
thus minimizing pH.
– Bicarbonate - in blood
– Phosphate - in kidney
– Protein - hemoglobin in blood
• Respiratory Center
– Brain stem - medulla oblongata sets rate and depth, pons modifies
• Increased H+ and increased CO2 causes increase in rate and depth
of respiration
• Decreased H+ and CO2 causes decrease in rate and depth of
respiration
• Kidneys
– An increase in H+ causes them to be secreted from peritubular
capillaries into the kidney tubule
– Ammonium ions made by renal cells help move H+ to outside of body

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 Speed and Imbalances
• Acid-Based Imbalances:
– Normal blood pH is 7.38
– Acidosis – pH goes down (acidic)
– Alkalosis – pH goes up (basic)

Speed of Regulators:
• Chemical Buffers (2 or more chemicals release & absorb ions)
– Fast
– First line of defense
• Physiological
– Slower: minutes to days
– Secondary defense

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 Respiratory Acidosis
• Injury to respiratory center (not breathing at all or not fast enough)
• Obstruction in airway (tumor, choking, asthma)
• Pneumonia, emphysema (COPD)
• pH decreases
• CO2 increases
• H+ increases

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 Metabolic Acidosis
• Kidney disease- can’t secrete H+
• Vomiting of stomach and intestinal contents
• Diarrhea
• Diabetes mellitus due to ketone bodies (fatty acids)
• pH decreases
• H+ increases
• No change in CO2

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 Respiratory Alkalosis
• Hyperventilation
– Caused by emotions, anxiety, fever, poisoning, high altitude
• pH increases
• CO2 decreases
• H+ decreases

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 Metabolic alkalosis
• Gastric drainage
• Vomiting of stomach contents only
• Antacid overuse
• pH increases
• No change in CO2
• H+ decreases

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 Thanks!
A big thank you to my fellow
Anatomy and Physiology
students who provided pictures,
support, and study help.

http://journey2nursing.blogspot.com © 2010