Hyperkalemia or High Potassium

Hyperkalemia or High Potassium Hyperkalemia breaks down to mean  hyper-  high;  kalium, potassium;  -emia, in the blood or high potassium in the blood. Potassium in the bloodstream is the K ion, not potassium metal, so this illness is one type of electrolyte imbalance. The normal concentration of the potassium ion in blood is 3.5 to 5.3 mmol or milliequivalents  per  liter  (mEq/L). Concentrations of 5.5 mmol and higher describe hyperkalemia. The opposite condition, low blood potassium levels, is termed hypokalemia. Mild hyperkalemia typically isnt identified except through a blood test, but extreme hyperkalemia is a medical emergency that can result in death, usually from heart arrhythmia. Hyperkalemia Symptoms The symptoms of elevated potassium are not specific to the condition. Mainly the effects are on the circulatory and nervous system. They include: weaknessmalaiseheart palpitationshyperventilation Causes of Hyperkalemia Hyperkalemia results when too much potassium is taken into the body, when cells massively release potassium into the bloodstream, or when the kidneys cant properly excrete potassium. There are numerous causes of hyperkalemia, including: kidney diseasediabetes (leading to nephropathy)medications that affect urination (NSAIDS, diuretics, antibiotics, etc.)diseases associated with a mineralocorticoid deficiencymassive blood transfusionany major tissue damage, whether it be from injury (burns, serious wounds) or medical treatment (notably chemotherapy)excessive dietary intake of potassium-rich foods (e.g., salt substitute, bananas)intentional hyperkalemia as the last step of lethal injection, to disrupt and stop the heart Not that its highly unusual for a person with ordinary kidney function to overdose on potassium from foods. Excess potassium resolves itself if the kidneys are able to process an overload. If the kidneys are damaged, hyperkalemia becomes an ongoing concern. Preventing Hyperkalemia In some cases, its possible to prevent potassium buildup by limiting dietary intake of potassium-rich foods, taking diuretics, or ending a medication that causes a problem. Hyperkalemia Treatment Treatment depends on the cause and severity of hyperkalemia. In a medical emergency, the goal is to shift the potassium ion from the bloodstream into cells. Injecting insulin or salbutamol temporarily lowers serum potassium levels.

Definition and Examples of Modifiers in English Grammar

Definition and Examples of Modifiers in English Grammar In English grammar, a modifier is a  word, phrase, or clause that functions as an adjective or adverb to provide additional information about another word or word group (called the head). A modifier is also known as an adjunct. As illustrated below, modifiers in English include adjectives, adverbs, demonstratives, possessive determiners, prepositional phrases, degree modifiers, and intensifiers.   Modifiers that appear before the head are called premodifiers, while modifiers that appear after the head are called postmodifiers. Modifiers may be either restrictive (essential to the meaning of a sentence) or nonrestrictive (additional but not essential elements in a sentence). Examples of Different Modifier Usage Too many grammar terms in a row? Lets look at some examples. Authors  Gà ¼nter Radden and Renà © Dirven  illustrate the types with the most common ways that qualifying modifiers are used in Cognitive English Grammar. In all the examples here, the qualifiers modify the word detective and are in italics: (4a) Hercule Poirot is a  brilliant  detective.(4b)  Agatha Christies  detective Poirot is a legend all over the world.(4c) The detective  with the waxed moustache  solves the  most baffling  cases.(4d) Hercule Poirot is the  famous  detective  created by the English mystery writer Agatha Christie.(4e) Poirot is a detective  who has come to England as a war refugee.In sentence (4a), the adjective  brilliant  modifies the  predicate noun  detective.In sentence (4b), the head noun  detective  is modified by the complex  noun phrase  Agatha Christies, where the  genitive  morpheme  s  expresses the relation of possession.In sentence (4c), the noun  a detective  is modified by the  prepositional phrase  with the waxed moustache.In sentence (4d), two  nonrestrictive  modifiers are added to qualify the definite  referent  detective: the adjective  famous  and the  participial phrase  created by the English mystery-writ er Agatha Christie.In sentence (4e),  a detective  is modified by a  relative clause. Additional Examples of Modifier Types We could go further, to illustrate additional examples:   Hercule Poirot is a really good detective. The word really represents an intensifier for the adjective good. Really is an adverb, as it is modifying an adjective. Hercule Poirot is that detective. The word that is demonstrative. It distinguishes Poirot from at least one other detective. Hercule Poirot is the detective whos not wearing a deerstalker hat. The clause  is restrictive. The clause is essential to know which detective Poirot is, presumably from at least one detective who is wearing a deerstalker hat. The case was  almost  solved. The degree modifier (an adverb) shows how much of the case was solved. Instead of intensifying, degree modifiers qualify by giving the degree to which something is, like someone being fairly sure of something. Wearing a deerstalker hat, the murderer was caught by Sherlock Holmes. This clause represents a misplaced modifier  because it puts the hat on the murderers head instead of Holmes. If there were no subject of the sentence (eliminating by Sherlock Holmes), the opening phrase would be a  dangling modifier. Few detectives wear deerstalker hats. Few is a  quantifier, telling how many. Both Hercule Poirot and Sherlock homes are well-known detectives. The modifier is a  compound adjective. Source Radden, Gà ¼nter. Cognitive English Grammar. Cognitive Linguistics in Practice, Renà © Dirven, 2nd Edition, John Benjamins Publishing Company, July 5, 2007.