SOUTHEAST

UNIVERSITY
Department Of Pharmacy
Assignment
Course Code : BPH 121
Course Tittle : Inorganic Pharmacy-II
Assignment On : Importance And
Applications Of Various
Electrolytes In Pharmacy

Submitted To : Afifa Parvin (Lecturer)

Submitted By
Name : Nusrat Jaman Rhidita
ID : 2020000300046
Batch : 35th
Section :B

Submission Date :23/01/2020

Importance And Applications Of
Various Electrolytes In Pharmacy

What Are Electrolytes?

“Electrolyte” is the umbrella term for particles that carry a positive or negative
electric charge. Electrolytes are involved in many essential processes in our body.
They play a role in conducting nervous impulses, contracting muscles, keeping our
hydrated and regulating our body’s pH levels.
Therefore, we need to get an adequate number of electrolytes from our diet to keep
our body functioning as it should. In nutrition, the term refers to essential minerals
found in our blood, sweat and urine. When these minerals dissolve in a fluid, they
form electrolytes — positive or negative ions used in metabolic processes.
Electrolytes found in our body include:
 Sodium
 Potassium
 Chloride
 Calcium
 Magnesium
 Phosphate
 Bicarbonate

Sodium

Sodium is necessary for the body to maintain fluid balance and is critical for
normal body function. It also helps to regulate nerve function and muscle
contraction. Hypernatremia occurs when there’s too much sodium in the blood.
Abnormally high levels of sodium may be caused by:
  Inadequate water consumption
 Severe dehydration
 excessive loss of bodily fluids as a result of prolonged vomiting, diarrhea,
sweating, or respiratory illness
 Certain medications, including corticosteroids

Hyponatremia develops when there’s too little sodium. Common causes of low

sodium levels include:

 Excessive fluid loss through the skin from sweating or burns

 Vomiting or diarrhea
 Poor nutrition
 Alcohol use disorder
 Overhydration
 Thyroid, hypothalamic, or adrenal disorders
 Liver, heart, or kidney failure
 Certain medications, including diuretics and seizure medications
 Syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH)

Chloride

Chloride is necessary for maintaining the proper balance of bodily fluids.

Hyperchloremia occurs when there’s too much chloride in the body. It can happen
as a result of:

 Severe dehydration
 Kidney failure
 Dialysis

Hypochloremia develops when there’s too little chloride in the body. It’s often
caused by sodium or potassium problems.

Other causes can include:

  Cystic fibrosis
 Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa
 Scorpion stings
 Acute kidney failure

Potassium
 Salts have been used for their diuretic action
 During nerve impulse, potassium leaves the cell and sodium
enters the cell

Bicarbonate
 Second most prevalent anion in the ECF
 Most important buffer system together with H2CO3
 Metabolic acidosis – caused by low HCO3-
 Metabolic alkalosis – caused by high HCO3-

Phosphate
 Constitutes energy-rich ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
  Blood phosphate levels correlate with blood calcium levels

Calcium

Calcium is a vital mineral that your body uses to stabilize blood pressure and
control skeletal muscle contraction. It’s also used to build strong bones and teeth.
Hypercalcemia occurs when you have too much calcium in the blood.

This is usually caused by:

 Kidney disease
 Thyroid disorders, including hyperparathyroidism
 Lung diseases, such as tuberculosis or sarcoidosis
 Certain types of cancer, including lung and breast cancers
 Excessive use of antacids and calcium or vitamin D supplements
 Medications such as lithium, theophylline, or certain water pills

Hypocalcemia occurs due to a lack of adequate calcium in the bloodstream. Causes

can include:

 Kidney failure
 Hypoparathyroidism
 Vitamin D deficiency
 Pancreatitis
 Prostate cancer
 Malabsorption
 Certain medications, including heparin, osteoporosis drugs, and antiepileptic
drugs
These electrolytes are required for various bodily processes, including proper nerve
and muscle function, maintaining acid-base balance and keeping our hydrated.

Maintaining Vital Body Function

Electrolytes are crucial to keeping your nervous system and muscles functioning
and your internal environment balanced.

Nervous System Function

Your brain sends electrical signals through your nerve cells to communicate with
the cells throughout your body. These signals are called nervous impulses, and
they’re generated by changes to the electrical charge of the nerve cell membrane.
The changes occur due to the movement of the electrolyte sodium across the nerve
cell membrane. When this happens, it sets off a chain reaction, moving more
sodium ions (and the change in charge) along the length of the nerve cell axon.

Muscle Function
The electrolyte calcium is needed for muscle contraction. It allows muscle fibers to
slide together and move over each other as the muscle shortens and contracts.
Magnesium is also required in this process so that the muscle fibers can slide
outward and muscles can relax after contraction.

Proper Hydration
Water must be kept in the right amounts both inside and outside each cell in your
body. Electrolytes, particularly sodium, help maintain fluid balance through
osmosis. Osmosis is a process where water moves through the wall of a cell
membrane from a dilute solution (more water and fewer electrolytes) toward a
more concentrated solution (less water and more electrolytes). This prevents cells
from bursting from being too full or shriveling up due to dehydration.

Internal pH Levels
To stay healthy, your body needs to regulate its internal pH. pH is a measure of
how acidic or alkaline a solution is. In your body, it’s regulated by chemical
buffers, or weak acids and bases, which help minimize changes in your internal
environment. For example, your blood is regulated to stay at a pH of around 7.35
to 7.45. If it deviates from this, your body can’t function properly, and you become
unwell. Having the right balance of electrolytes is fundamental to maintaining your
blood pH level.

Body Fluid And Electrolyte Balance

The body is in fluid balance when the required amounts of water and solutes are
present. Electrolytes – inorganic compounds which mostly constitute the solute in
the body fluid. Concentration of a particular electrolyte varies in different fluid
compartments
Electrolyte Disorders

An electrolyte disorder occurs when the levels of electrolytes in your body are
either too high or too low. Electrolytes need to be maintained in an even balance
for your body to function properly. Otherwise, vital body systems can be affected.
Severe electrolyte imbalances can cause serious problems such as coma, seizures,
and cardiac arrest.

Symptoms of Electrolyte Disorders

Mild forms of electrolyte disorders may not cause any symptoms. Such disorders can
go undetected until they’re discovered during a routine blood test. Symptoms usually
start to appear once a particular disorder becomes more severe. Not all electrolyte
imbalances cause the same symptoms, but many share similar symptoms.

Common symptoms of an electrolyte disorder include:

 Irregular Heartbeat
  Fast Heart Rate
 Fatigue
 Lethargy
 Convulsions Or Seizures
 Nausea
 Vomiting
 Diarrhea Or Constipation
 Abdominal Cramping
 Muscle Cramping
 Muscle Weakness
 Irritability
 Confusion
 Headaches
 Numbness And Tingling

Cause Of Electrolyte Disorders

Electrolyte disorders are most often caused by a loss of bodily fluids through
prolonged vomiting, diarrhea, or sweating. They may also develop due to fluid loss
related to burns. Certain medications can cause electrolyte disorders as well. In
some cases, underlying diseases, such as acute or chronic kidney disease, are to
blame. The exact cause may vary depending on the specific type of electrolyte
disorder.

Risk Factors for Electrolyte Disorders

Anyone can develop an electrolyte disorder. Certain people are at an increased risk
because of their medical history. Conditions that increase your risk for an
electrolyte disorder include:

 Alcohol Use Disorder

 Cirrhosis
  Congestive Heart Failure
 Kidney Disease
 Eating Disorders, Such As Anorexia And Bulimia
 Trauma, Such As Severe Burns Or Broken Bones
 Thyroid Disorders
 Adrenal Gland Disorders

Preventing Electrolyte Disorders

Prevent electrolyte disorders:

 Stay hydrated if you’re experiencing prolonged vomiting, diarrhea, or

sweating
 Visit your doctor if you’re experiencing common symptoms of an electrolyte
disorder

If the electrolyte disorder is caused by medications or underlying conditions, your

doctor will adjust your medication and treat the cause. This will help prevent future
electrolyte imbalances.