Question

Five members of the LaGuardia family have come to the emergency
department complaining of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea related to
severe gastroenteritis, a viral intestinal disorder. The family members
include

8-month-old Jason, grandson of Jackson
26-year-old Susanna, Jackson’s daughter and Jason’s mother
60-year-old Jackson
58-year-old Gemma, Jackson’s wife
82-year-old Martha, Jackson’s mother

Based on the information you have learned about the major
electrolytes of the body, which electrolytes are most likely to be out of
balance in members of the LaGuardia family? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Gastroenteritis is often referred to as the stomach flu and it is a nonspecific term for various inflammatory problems in the gastrointestinal tract. The main symptoms are abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea and diarrhea.

At first adequate amount of fluids intake was recommended for all the family members to prevent high dehydration. Clear fluids are recommended (especially for young children and old people), but not fruit juices or milk as they may prolong the symptoms.

Electrolytes importance:

Our cells (especially nerve, heart, muscle) use to maintain voltages across their cell membranes and to carry electrical impulses (nerve impulses, muscle contractions) across themselves and to other cells. For this mechanism the body need electrolytes.

The major electrolytes are as follows:
sodium (Na+)
potassium (K+)
chloride (Cl-)
calcium (Ca2+)
magnesium (Mg2+)
bicarbonate (HCO3-)
phosphate (PO42-)
sulfate (SO42-)

Based on the above sodium, chloride and potasium electrolytes are most likely to be out of balance in members of the LaGuardia family.

Major electrolyte	Major function in human body	Deficiency symptoms	Symptoms of excess
Sodium (Na+)	Plays major role in nerve signaling, Control amount of water in the body	Fatigue, confusion, muscle weakness, nausea and vomiting	Excessive thirst, seizures, muscle twitching
Potassium (K+)	Regulates heart beat, muscle function, kidneys	Muscle spasms, fatigue, constipation dehydration	Palpitation, chest pain, breathing problems, nausea or vomiting
Chloride (Cl-)	It is important in regulating body's acid base balance and in generating osmotic pressure of body fluids	Dehydration, dry skin, high levels of sodium in body	Rapid breathing, cerebral edema, dyspnea

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