BIO 250 HUMAN ANATOMY CASE STUDY|VERIFIED
GUARANTEED A+
Fluid/electrolytes/acid/base Case study
Scenario: A 40-year-old healthy man comes to the hospital after running a 10-mile
marathon. It is an extremely hot day: 103 degrees. He has had a very limited fluid
intake today.
His complaints are: dizziness, muscle cramps and feeling very weak.
Vital Signs (VS): Temp 38.8 HR 135 RR 18 BP 80/40 Sp02 95% Weight 150 lbs (68kg)
1) What is the likely pathophysiology to his symptoms?
The man is likely experiencing water loss (dehydration) due to running in extreme heat
and intaking very few fluids.
2) What are the abnormal vital signs?
Temperature is high, HR is high, BP is low.
3) Discuss fluid compartments - ECF and ICF
ECF: Extracellular fluid. Makes up 1/3 of body fluid. Contains lots of potassium.
ICF: Intracellular fluid. Makes up 2/3 of body fluid. Contains Lots of sodium/chloride.
4) Discuss the ECF fluid balance (Na, H20) - slide 32
Too much sodium makes cells hypertonic causing muscle twitching, hyperreflexia, and
confusion/lethargy in the CNS. The most common cause of this is dehydration.
Too little sodium makes cells lethargic causing edema, N/V, and seizures in severe cases.
This is usually caused by IV hemodilution, alcoholism, V/D, and CKD
5) What is likely occurring to the following electrolytes? Na, K, Mg (high or low?)
Na: low causes hyponatremia
K: high causes hyperkalemia
Mg: low causes hypomagnesemia
GUARANTEED A+
Fluid/electrolytes/acid/base Case study
Scenario: A 40-year-old healthy man comes to the hospital after running a 10-mile
marathon. It is an extremely hot day: 103 degrees. He has had a very limited fluid
intake today.
His complaints are: dizziness, muscle cramps and feeling very weak.
Vital Signs (VS): Temp 38.8 HR 135 RR 18 BP 80/40 Sp02 95% Weight 150 lbs (68kg)
1) What is the likely pathophysiology to his symptoms?
The man is likely experiencing water loss (dehydration) due to running in extreme heat
and intaking very few fluids.
2) What are the abnormal vital signs?
Temperature is high, HR is high, BP is low.
3) Discuss fluid compartments - ECF and ICF
ECF: Extracellular fluid. Makes up 1/3 of body fluid. Contains lots of potassium.
ICF: Intracellular fluid. Makes up 2/3 of body fluid. Contains Lots of sodium/chloride.
4) Discuss the ECF fluid balance (Na, H20) - slide 32
Too much sodium makes cells hypertonic causing muscle twitching, hyperreflexia, and
confusion/lethargy in the CNS. The most common cause of this is dehydration.
Too little sodium makes cells lethargic causing edema, N/V, and seizures in severe cases.
This is usually caused by IV hemodilution, alcoholism, V/D, and CKD
5) What is likely occurring to the following electrolytes? Na, K, Mg (high or low?)
Na: low causes hyponatremia
K: high causes hyperkalemia
Mg: low causes hypomagnesemia
