Fluid Concept Project Part 2

Under normal circumstances, interstitial fluid, water, and other small solutes can cross the capillary wall, although blood cells cannot.

1. What sort of environment (hypertonic, isotonic, hypotonic) does consuming excessive amounts of pure water create in the body fluid that surrounds your cells? What effect would this have on your cells?

In this case will the early fluid loss the extracellular compartment is likely to be affected. (VanMeter, Hubert p 20)

The body needs to maintain equilibrium to function properly in everyday life. The most important substance it must regulate is water; water is everywhere in our body and its balance is essential for proper body function.

2.5 litres are recommended per day to stay fully hydrated. Water accommodates for 50-80% of the human body. It assists human digestion by absorbing essential nutrients and excreting waste. It is vital in regulating bodily functions such as blood volume and transporting nutrients (2). It also plays a role during physical activity. When the body overheats, it releases fluids by sweating. If the body becomes dehydrated, by not having enough water, it can lead to impaired physiological responses and performance. Although this is temporary, if adequate consumption of water is not met daily, it can lead to health issues including kidney stones, urinary tract cancers, as well as colon cancers

2. These fluids like water are vital to us because we would not be able to live more than a few days without some fluids in our body.

These two Case Studies come from a National Center on Case Studies. I think that a case study approach is very useful in applying knowledge and this is what makes you learn it better. They may be a little daunting when you read them but I will help you go through them. Please ask for help so this topic becomes more enjoyable for you.

The human body consists mostly of water, and is a major constituent to the human body and vital organs; of this 90% include blood plasma, lymph, urine, saliva, digestive juices, bile, cerebrospinal fluid and tissue fluid. Water enables substances to be transported throughout the body, red blood cells for example, as wells as supplying the medium required for metabolic reaction to take place (respiration). Without water the progression of these fluids would not be possible. Water is constantly being transported between the fluid compartments of

Let's start by looking at how important water is and what it does for our bodies.

movement of water in tissues and maintain the fluidity of mucus and other secretions [3].

Our body makes up around 70% of water. Needless to say, water has a lot of benefits for our body. A healthy person can drink three gallons of water per day. From our hearts to our kidneys, water all has something to do to the contribution to our body. It helps to refresh our body, push all the toxins out of our body and slow down the dehydration process or maybe, just to cushion our body joints. Wherever water travels, they carry nutrition, minerals with it into our body.

Fluid is important to our body as it makes up the blood that circulates oxygen and nutrients to our organs. Hydrates our tissues and eliminates waste products out of our body by urinating, breathe and sweat. Our body requires the right amount of fluid in order to stay healthy. When there is too much of fluids, the condition is called as fluid retention. Fluid retention pathophysiology is complex and it involves both hemodynamic and clinical congestion. It is important for nurses to identify fluid retention so that specific interventions can be carried out.

As you can see, water plays a major role in many factors of your body.

Body fluids are located in two compartments, intracellular space (inside the cell), and extracellular space (outside of the cell). Intracellular fluid (ICF) is located primarily in the skeletal muscle mass and constitutes approximately 40% of the total body weight. This can also be interpreted as 70% or two thirds of the total body fluid/water. Extracellular fluid (ECF) accounts for approximately 20% of the body weight. This can also be interpreted as 30% or one thirds of the total body fluid/water.

The first one is called plasma is the largest section of your blood is made up mostly of water in the intravascular fluid (inside the blood vessels) of the extravascular cell (around the outside of the cell).