title: Sodium, water and acid-base balance: teaching transient and steady states.
abstract: We suggest that medical teaching should give greater emphasis to the interpretation of measurements in patients with chronic disturbances of homeostatic mechanisms, and some principles are outlined. The single principle which is most useful in reducing confusion is that in the steady state excretion rate is equal to intake or metabolic production rate, and rarely helps to decide the nature of a homeostatic disturbance.
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium; D002624:Chemistry, Clinical / Q000193:education*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D004739:England; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium