A patient was transported to a clinic for treatment following a motorcycle accid

Question

A patient was transported to a clinic for treatment following a motorcycle accident, and had lost about 2 pints of blood. The attending nurse provided an intravenous drip with 0.9% saline solution to temporarily maintain blood pressure until a whole blood transfusion could be provided. Explain what would happen to the patient if the 0.9% saline was mistakenly replaced by a 10% saline solution and why. A patient was transported to a clinic for treatment following a motorcycle accident, and had lost about 2 pints of blood. The attending nurse provided an intravenous drip with 0.9% saline solution to temporarily maintain blood pressure until a whole blood transfusion could be provided. Explain what would happen to the patient if the 0.9% saline was mistakenly replaced by a 10% saline solution and why.

Explanation / Answer

Cells have particular concentration of solutes. 0.9 % saline is isotonic with blood cells and do not cause any net loss or gain of water (the solvent) . If we add 10 percent salt solution, it would be hyper osmotic relative to blood cells. Blood cells will lose water, dehydrate and ultimately die. This would cause lack.of oxygen as there won't be red blood cells enough to carry and patient might die of hypoxia.

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