RT Book, Section A1 McEvoy, Caitriona A1 Murray, Patrick T. A2 Hall, Jesse B. A2 Schmidt, Gregory A. A2 Kress, John P. SR Print(0) ID 1107723771 T1 Electrolyte Disorders in Critical Care T2 Principles of Critical Care, 4e YR 2015 FD 2015 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9780071738811 LK accesssurgery.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1107723771 RD 2024/10/08 AB Measurement of electrolyte-free water clearance is extremely useful in understanding the pathophysiology of hyponatremia and hypernatremia.Treatment of hyponatremia should be guided by the degree of symptomatology, rather than the magnitude of the hyponatremia per se.Hyperkalemia should be treated emergently if typical electrocardiographic (ECG) changes are present; hence, ECG monitoring is indispensable in this settingHypocalcemia need only be treated urgently if it is symptomatic.Severe hyperphosphatemia is seen in the setting of renal failure and/or massive cell lysis.Total body phosphate stores may be significantly reduced and produce organ dysfunction even in the face of normal or minimally decreased serum levels; if suspicion for a depleted state exists, treatment should be given.Severe hypomagnesemia may have significant consequences itself, including cardiac arrhythmias and muscle weakness; lesser degrees of hypomagnesemia often accompany hypokalemia and hypocalcemia and correction of the magnesium deficit facilitates correction of the other electrolyte abnormalities.