Electrolyte emergencies in the critically ill renal patient.
Electrolyte emergencies are best prevented in patients with renal impairments. However, many of the imbalances mentioned in this article are common problems in acute care settings when the patient is in renal failure. Nurses who are familiar with the causes, signs, and symptoms of these problems are in the best position to anticipate electrolyte imbalances, and to treat them quickly. In renal failure, those imbalances involving potassium can rapidly be fatal. The life-threatening nature of these imbalances make them a particularly important area for nursing assessment. Nurses are the front-line observers who can make the difference between life and death in patients with renal problems.
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D003422:Critical Care; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D014883:Water-Electrolyte Imbalance / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000628:therapy