fluid compartments

[GingerSue]

Here's a question with an unexpected answer in the textbook,

so just for the sake of checking with others:

Question: The majority of the body's water is contained in which of the following fluid compartments:

a. interstitial

b. intracellular

c. extracellular

d. intravascular

My answer is b. intracellular because earlier in the chapter it says "two thirds of the body water is located within cells and is termed intracellular fluid (ICF) ... ECF consists of one third of the body water"

But the answer at the back of the book for this review questions is:

c.

[miss arron]

i was taught the same thing.... most of the body's water is contained in intracellular fluids.

typo maybe?

[GingerSue]

thankyou

also I've checked my med-surg book from 30 years ago and it also says

extracellular water is approximately 20% of body weight and intracellular water is approximately 40% of body weight.

yes, probably a typo

[donsterRN, ASN, BSN]

I think it must be a typo, too. I remember learning that ICF = 63%, ECF = 37%.

[DAMomma]

I also say B. Also ICF according to my Med-Surg website.

[Natkat, BSN, MSN, RN]

I think extracellular is in there to throw you off. Extracellular basically means outside the cell. Wouldn't that be the same thing as interstitial fluid?

[GingerSue]

extracellular consists of fluid spaces between cells {interstitial fluid and lymph} and the plasma space.

but the transcellular space is not included

[MMARN, BSN, RN]

Yep. According to my book, it says that ICF consists of 42% of the body's fluid while ECG consists of approximately 20%. Definitely a typo.

[smk1, LPN]

It's a typo. ICF has more.