Administering IV Lasix & Albumin

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Good Morning.. I am a nursing student with a question that is on my study guide for a test on Tuesday. If anyone could help me I would greatly appreciate it!! Here is the question...

What is the purpose of IV albumin and lasix; which would you administer first for a pt. who is in fluid overload and has Ascites ? What is the rationale for your action?

I know the purpose of the 2 medications.. I think I would admin the Lasix first, but I cannot find a concrete answer anywhere..

Thank you:)

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Specializes in Trauma Surgical ICU.

Think about this and look it up in your drug book... How does each medication work, what does it do and where does it do it at?? This will get you thinking in the right direction.

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For fluid overload and ascites, you need to treat the immediate need of fluid overload first, so IV Lasix first. Overload can cause respiratory difficulty, so Lasix is the quicker fix for that. Then the IV albumin. Albumin will help the ascites as long as the patient continues to recieve it on a regular basis. It will not fix respiratory insufficiency caused by fluid overload. Hope this helps!

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Thank you both very much:)

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short and sweet, Albumin is a protein normally is too large to pass thru so it circulates in your system and it's purpose is to pull draw water from the interstitial into the vascular system . Lasix is a loop diuretic primary purpose is to increasing urine output

most patients that get Lasix are those with Heart Failure because you want to remove the fluid out of the system; too much fluid increases the heart work load it also increases resistance sorry to get out of the topic as your asking about the relation with ascites fluid overload but the concept are pretty much the same regardless of the topic. When you study learn the concept , why , what's the outcome , what's the purpose. Lasix loop diuretic just think LL and K levels.

I found this link .

Third-spacing: Where has all the fluid gone?

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Wow!! qcc2011grad! That link you shared with me was Awesome!! I wish I would have had this when I was learning about fluids and electrolytes.. It was really helpful, I'm going to share this with my classmates, and instructor. Although we have already been thru this a couple of quarters ago, it keeps popping back up, and this link explains things really well!! I'm taking my test this morning, and am feeling better! Thank you soooo much!!

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Update!!!! After reading the link, and investigating in my drug book, I know the answer!! I would give the Albumin First, because it's going to pull the fluid from the extravascular space, back into the intravascular space, then I would give the Lasix to remove the excess fluid!!!! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!!:):idea:

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Your welcome you are so right F&E always seems to comes up .when i stated K levels and Lasix since Lasix is a diuretic K( potassium) can become depleted thereby pt may become Hypokalemic (Hypokalemia)Wishing you the best

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Your welcome you are so right F&E always seems to comes up .when i stated K levels and Lasix since Lasix is a diuretic K( potassium) can become depleted thereby pt may become Hypokalemic (Hypokalemia)Wishing you the best

Nice resource!

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Thanks Esme12

Nurses should not get too comfortable in our knowledge, we should strive to continue educating ourselves.

This was actually one of the top ten list my instructor said during our graduation last year. Another one in her top ten list was for nurses to be humble.

Can't remember all top ten in her list but the list was nice.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Absolutely.......I give sites all the time. I give a hint and hten a link so we all can read it, brush up and learn. Smart instructor.

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