Cerebral Edema related to electrolyte imbalances

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I'm doing an assignment where I have to fill out and chart on an imaginary patient. From vital signs to labs, to input and output, to if they have a foley. Normal charting on a patient... I don't know if i'm an idiot or what - but making this up is making me crazy.

Its proving to be extremely hard because the only information I was given was: "Cerebral Edema r/t electrolyte imbalances. I have no idea where to start and finding information on it seems to be SO difficult. I feel like cerebral edema is so vague.

Any help? Maybe websites I could use? I've never actually been allowed to chart yet, so all of this information is hard to understand, being that my instructor didn't really go over what all of these abbreviations meant..

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HINT: Look up "hyponatremia."

NO more hints right now. Come back and tell us what you find out.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Try to recall that Chemistry lab that was focused on diffusion of solutes across a permeable membrane. When the brain expands, what happens to cerebral circulation? What do you think happens to the blood-brain barrier & capillary diffusion when healthy cells are starved for oxygen due to lack of blood circulation?

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^^^ Oooooh, you gave her another hint. tsk, tsk. :)

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