Fluid & Electrolytes Cheat Sheet

Sarah Smith’s Study Guide Remastered

Electrolye Function HYPER “HIGH” Hypo “low”

HYPERkalemia (over 5.0) Hypokalemia (below 3.0)

Heart - TIGHT & CONTRACTED HEART - LOW & SLOW

1ST elevation and Peaked T waves 1 Flat T waves, ST depression, & prominent U wave
2 Severe = Vfib or Cardiac Standstill! MUSCULAR - LOW & SLOW
P - Potassium 3 Hypotension, Bradycardia 1 Decreased DTR
Potassium P - Priority! Since it.. GI TRACT - TIGHT & CONTRACTED
1 Diarrhea
2 Muscle cramping
3 Flaccid paralysis (paralyzed limbs)
3.5 - 5.0 P - Pumps the heart 2 Hyperactive bowel sounds
GI - LOW & SLOW
& muscles NEUROMUSCULAR
- TIGHT & CONTRACTED Decreased motility, hypoactive to
Paralysis in Extremities absent bowel sounds, Constipation
Increased DTR Abdominal distention
Profound Muscle Weakness, Paralytic ileus, paralyzed intestines!
(General Feeling of heaviness) *PRIORITY* for SBO (small bowel obstruction)

HYPERnatremia (over 145) Hyponatermia (below 135)

S - Sodium HYPERNATREMIA = BIG & BLOATED HYPONATREMIA - DEPRESSED & DEFLATED
S - Swells the body 1. SKIN

Sodium FLUSH ‘’Red & Rosy’’ NEURO = Seizures & Coma

to maintain: EDEMA ‘’waterbed skin’’
HEART = Tachycardia, &
135 - 145 • Blood pressure LOW GRADE FEVER
2. POLYDIPSIA EXCESS THIRST weak thready pulses
• Blood Volume 3. LATE SERIOUS SIGN RESPIRATORY ARREST
SWOLLEN dry tongue NCLEXTIP
• pH balance GI = nausea & vomiting NCLEXTIP
INCREASED muscle tone NCLEXTIP

Sodium’s side kick HYPERchloremia (over 107) Hypochloremia (below 97)

Maintains:
Chloride • Blood pressure
NEARLY SAME AS HIGH SODIUM NEARLY SAME AS LOW SODIUM

97 - 107 • Blood Volume

1 NAUSEA & VOMITING
2 SWOLLEN DRY TONGUE
1 EXCESSIVE DIARRHEA,
VOMITING, SWEATING
3 CONFUSION 2 FEVER TEST TIP: ONLY DIFFERENCE
• pH balance

HYPERmagnesemia (over 2.1) Hypomagnesemia (below 1.3)

1. CARDIAC - CALM & QUIET 1. CARDIAC - BUCK WILD!

Heart block EKG: ST depression, T wave inversion
Prolonged PR intervals Torsades de pointes
M - Magnesium
Magnesium M - Mellows the
VITALS = bradycardia, Hypotension
2. DEEP TENDON REFLEXES -
SEVERE = V fib
VITALS = Tachycardia
1.3 - 2.1 M - Muscles (relaxes)
CALM & QUIET
Hyporeflexia - Decreased DTR
2. DEEP TENDON REFLEXES -
BUCK WILD!
3. LUNGS - CALM & QUIET Hyporeflexia - increased DTR
Depressed Shallow respirations 3. EYES - BUCK WILD!
4. GI - CALM & QUIET Abnormal eye movements (nystagmus)
Hypoactive bowel sounds 4. GI - BUCK WILD!
Diarhea

HYPERcalcemia (over 10.5) Hypocalcemia (below 9.0)

Keeps the 3 B’s Strong SWOLLEN & SLOW - MOANS, 1 T - Trousseau’s

Calcium B - Bone
GROANS & STONES
1. CONSTIPATION
T - Twerking arm with BP cuff on
2 C - Chvostek’s

9.0 - 10.5 B - Blood 2. BONE PAIN

3. STONES Renal Calculi (kidney stones)
C - Cheek smile when touched
3 Diarrhea
B - Beats (heart) 4. DEEP TENDON REFLEXES 4 Circumoral tingling
Decreased DTR 5 Weak bones
Severe muscle weakness

HYPERphosphatemia (over 4.5) Hypophosphatemia (below 3.0)

‘’LOW CALCIUM’’ Swollen & SLOW - MOAN,

Helps with bone & 1. TROUSSEAU’S SIGNS GROANS & STONES
2. CHVOSTEK’S SIGNS
teeth formation.
Phosphate Helps regulate calcium
3. DIARRHEA
4. WEAK B’s
1. CONSTIPATION
2. DECREASED DTR & SEVERE
3.0 - 4.5 Ca HIGH = Phosphate LOW Strong bones?
WEAK! (fractures)
MUSCLE WEAKNESS
3. DECREASED HR, RR
Ca LOW = Phosphate HIGH Strong blood clotting? 4. INCREASED BP
WEAK! (risk for bleeding)
Strong heart beats?
WEAK! (cardiac dysrhythmias)

*Disclaimer: Values above are based on NCLEX standards, many books & hospitals will differ in their values.