Electrolyte imbalances occur when the levels of electrolytes in your body either rise or fall to dangerous levels. Electrolytes include sodium, potassium, calcium and phosphorus. These imbalances might adversely affect kidney function and produce...
Urea and electrolytes are both found in the urine. Urea excretion is part of the body's' waste management system while electrolyte excretion is how the body regulates various chemical levels in the blood. The amount of both substances can help...
Hyperkalemia is a condition in which the levels of potassium in the bloodstream are abnormally high. There are many causes for hyperkalemia, mostly related to kidney disease because this organ helps control the levels of potassium in the body,...
Sodium and potassium act as electrolytes in your body, and certain conditions can affect the normal balance of these electrolytes. For example, dehydration can cause hyponatremia, or low amounts of sodium in your bloodstream. An increase in the...
Potassium and sodium are electrolytes, electrically charged molecules that affect a number of body functions, including fluid balance, heart rhythm, kidney function and muscle movement. Both sodium and potassium are kept within normal limits by...
High blood sugar, also known as high blood glucose or hyperglycemia, happens when the body does not have enough insulin or does not use the insulin properly. Insulin is a natural hormone that controls blood glucose levels in the body. Having too...
Minerals in the body that carry electrical charges are called electrolytes. Your urine, blood and other bodily fluids carry electrolytes through your body. When electrolyte levels become imbalanced, you can experience a range of symptoms ranging...
For centuries, cranberries have been grown in North America. Enjoyed for both their taste and their nutritional value, cranberries are thought to be beneficial for the treatment of a variety of symptoms, as well as for the prevention of certain...
Renal failure means that the kidneys no longer appropriately concentrate urine, remove wastes or regulate important body functions. The kidneys play an important role in filtering out excess levels of electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and...
Minerals are elements that come from soil and water, as well as from plants. You need some of these elements to support your basic functions and maintain your health. One vital responsibility of a group of minerals inside your body, called...
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by increased levels of sugar in the blood, also known as hyperglycemia. Two variants of DM exist: type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Type 1 is characterized by an...
Elevated systolic blood pressure means the top number of your blood pressure is too high. The systolic blood pressure should be less than 140. It is normal for blood pressure to fluctuate throughout the day. If it stays high it is called...
Electrolytes are minerals that appear in body fluids, including urine and blood. The level of electrolytes in your body is affected by many different factors. For example, pronounced changes in the levels of potassium or sodium in your body can...
Phosphate is an electrolyte that is present throughout the body and is an important part of bone matrix, along with calcium. The body typically does not excrete appreciable amounts of phosphate into the urine because of a myriad of functions that...
Sodium and potassium are both electrolytes that control nerve functions and the fluid balance in your body. Your kidneys and adrenal glands naturally control the electrolyte levels in your blood. The adrenal glands release hormones that trigger to...
Kidney stone formation, known as nephrolithiasis, is caused by precipitation of electrolytes in your kidneys. When there is an imbalance of electrolytes, or a highly concentrated flow of urine, stones are more likely to form. According to...
One of the fundamental functions of the heart is to generate a steady rhythm. This enables blood to be pumped efficiently throughout the body. Heart rhythm is generated by a variety of processes that come together and ensure that heart muscles...
Hyperkalemia means high blood potassium. Potassium plays a crucial role in the electrical function of cells, particularly the transmission of currents in the heart. The inside of cells have high levels of potassium relative to the outside, and in...
Potassium and sodium are electrolytes, minerals that have an electrical charge. Electrolytes are located in blood, urine and other bodily fluids. Most of the potassium in your body is inside your cells, and most of the sodium is in your blood and...
Electrolytes are minerals found in your blood, urine and other body fluids that carry an electric charge. These minerals include calcium, potassium, sodium, chloride, phosphorus and magnesium. Electrolytes help with muscle function, as well as the...
The balance of fluid in your body is primarily controlled by your kidneys. Diuretics are medications used to stimulate urine excretion and often are used as a treatment for excessive fluid retention. However, in some cases diuretics will not be...
Electrolytes are substances that are important for the body to function properly, and abnormally low levels of any electrolyte can cause serious health problems. Electrolytes are often added to beverages. Although it is difficult to severely...
Potassium is a mineral that is important for your body because it functions as an electrolyte. Low levels of potassium in your blood, also known as hypokalemia, can affect your muscle and heart cells. Sometimes hypokalemia is a result of a...
When Fanconi syndrome is caused by a treatable condition such as Wilson's disease, it can subside when that condition is treated. Likewise, if Fanconi syndrome is caused by heavy metal poisoning or a reaction to another substance, avoiding that...
The kidneys are two small bean-shaped organs, approximately the size of a fist, located just underneath the ribcage on either side of the spine. According to National Kidney Foundation, the kidneys filter up to 200 quarts of blood each day through...
The end stages of renal failure occur when the kidneys cease functioning and are no longer able to remove waste from the body, regulate electrolytes and concentrate urine. This condition occurs after a stretch of chronic kidney failure, which in...
Potassium is an electrolyte, one of the many electrically charged molecules that are important in the body's metabolic processes. The majority of the potassium in the body is within the cells, so the levels of potassium in the bloodstream are low...
Anemia is the condition in which there are not enough red blood cells in the blood. Red blood cells are the cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. Anemia can result from destruction of red blood cells, a process called hemolysis. Because red...
Lower leg swelling can occur as a result of an injury or condition directly related to the leg or as a result of conditions that involve distant organs and affect the whole body. Inferences about the causes of leg swelling can be made based on the...