A 17-year-old has been rushed to the ER after collapsing on a football field. He

Question

A 17-year-old has been rushed to the ER after collapsing on a football field. He had been participating in practice on a hot and humid day. To stave off cramps, he consumed 2 gallons of water before practice. Now, as you rush to save his life, you have an X-Ray taken, in which you see a massive amount of cerebral edema (fluid in the brain tissue.) The patient also appears to have (unbeknownst to him) impaired kidney function, which causes him to retain excess water in his circulation. 1. Which cardiovascular parameter is affected by this excess water and how does this affect MAP? 2. How would the body compensate for this change in MAP? 3. Clearly explain how the water consumption produced the patient's cerebral edema.

Explanation / Answer

1. Excess water leads to increase in stroke volume and cardiac output. It is found by Frank- Starling mechanism. There will also be decrease in mean arterial pressure.

2. Due to change in MAP , the body has body fluid volume disturbances and it there by alters extracellular osmolarity.

3. Due to water consumption, the damaged cells swell, injured blood vessels leak and blocked absorption pathway forces fluid to enter brain tissues and leads to cerebral edema .

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