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What happens to the blood cells when a hypertonic IV solution is used?
When red blood cells are in a hypertonic (higher concentration) solution, water flows out of the cell faster than it comes in. This results in crenation (shriveling) of the blood cell.
What would happen if the IV drip were hypertonic or hypotonic to your blood cells?
If a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, water will leave the cell, and the cell will shrink. In an isotonic environment, there is no net water movement, so there is no change in the size of the cell. When a cell is placed in a hypotonic environment, water will enter the cell, and the cell will swell.
What is hypotonic IV solution used for?
Hypotonic IV fluids are designed to bring fluid from the bloodstream into the cells and tissues to help in body waste excretion. In other words, they are commonly used to help patients avoid dehydration.
When do you use hypotonic and hypertonic solutions?
You want to give your patients a solution that has the tonicity that is opposite their problem most of the time. For example, if your patient is dehydrated their blood is hypertonic. They will need a hypotonic solution to bring their tonicity back within normal ranges.
What happens when a hypotonic solution is separated from a hypertonic solution by an osmotic membrane?
What happens when a hypotonic solution is separated from a hypertonic solution by an osmotic membrane? Water molecules move from the hypotonic solution to the hypertonic solution. A solution that is 1 ppm contains more dissolved solute than one that is 1 ppt. A typical blood serum concentration of HPO42− is 2 meq/L.
What would happen to the cells if a hypotonic solution was injected directly to the bloodstream?
When a hypotonic solution is administered, it puts more water in the serum than is found inside cells. As a result, water moves into the cells, causing them to swell. This may cause the cells to swell and burst, exposing the vein’s basement membrane and potentially leading to phlebitis and infiltration.
What happens to red blood cells in isotonic solution?
When a red blood cell is placed in an isotonic solution, there will be no net movement of water. Both the concentration of solute and water are equal both intracellularly and extracellularly; therefore, there will be no net movement of water towards the solution or the cell.
When is a hypotonic IV solution administered to patients?
Hypotonic solutions are used when the cell is dehydrated and fluids need to be put back intracellularly. This happens when patients develop diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or hyperosmolar hyperglycemia.
What happens when red blood cells are placed in hypotonic solution?
Cells placed in a hypotonic solution will take in water across their membranes until both the external solution and the cytosol are isotonic. A red blood cell will swell and undergo hemolysis (burst) when placed in a hypotonic solution. When placed in a hypertonic solution, a red blood cell will lose water and undergo crenation (shrivel).
What happens when a hypertonic solution is formed?
In contrast to hypotonic and isotonic solutions, a hypertonic solution has a higher solute concentration than inside the cell. When this happens, the osmotic gradient causes water to rush out of the cell and it becomes wrinkled or shriveled. If this happens to red blood cells, it is called crenation
What happens if you give hypotonic IV fluid to a healthy patient?
If we gave a hypotonic IV fluid to a healthy patient without any blood imbalances, then the hypotonic fluid would end up diluting their bloodstream. This would lead to electrolyte imbalances in the “hypo” direction (i.e. hyponatremia, hypokalemia, etc) because there is now more water than “stuff” in the intravascular space.
What does hypertonic fluid mean in a blood work report?
Hypertonic (shifts fluid out of the extracellular space and into the vein, to be filtered out in the kidneys) You patient is hypotensive, dizzy, weak, and reports abdominal pain. The blood work confirms adrenal insufficiency.