Are you studying hyperphosphatemia and need to know some mnemonics on how to remember the causes, signs & symptoms, nursing interventions? This article will give you some clever mnemonics on how to remember hyperphosphatemia for nursing lecture exams and NCLEX.
In addition, you will learn how to differentiate hypophosphatemia from hyperphosphatemia. Don’t forget to take the hypophosphatemia and hyperphosphatemia quiz.
Nurse Sarah’s Notes and Merch
Just released is “Fluid and Electrolytes Notes, Mnemonics, and Quizzes by Nurse Sarah“. These notes contain 84 pages of Nurse Sarah’s illustrated, fun notes with mnemonics, worksheets, and 130 test questions with rationales.
You can get an eBook version here or a physical copy of the book here.
In this article you will learn:
Normal Phosphate Level
Causes of Hyperphosphatemia
Signs & Symptoms of Hyperphosphatemia
Nursing Interventions for Hyperphosphatemia
Video on Hyperphosphatemia
Hyperphosphatemia
Hyper: “excessive”
Phosphat: prefix for phosphate
Emia: blood
Meaning of Hyperphosphatemia: High levels of phosphate in the blood
Normal Phosphate levels: 2.7 to 4.5 mg/dL (>4.5 is hyperphosphatemia)
Role of phosphate in the body: helps build bones and teeth and nerve/muscle function.
Stored mainly in the bones. The kidneys and parathyroid play a role in the regulation of calcium and phosphate.
**Calcium and phosphate influence each other in opposite way. For example, when calcium levels increase in turn phosphate levels decrease (vice versa).
Vitamin D plays an important role in phosphate absorption.
Causes of Hyperphosphatemia (**main cause is Renal Failure)
Remember “PhosHi” (there is a drug called Phoslo (calcium acetate) which is prescribed for patients in end stage renal failure (ESRF) to help keep phosphate levels low. Phoslo is a phosphate binder and it prevents the GI system from absorbing phosphate.
Phospho-soda overuse: phosphate containing laxatives or enemas (Sodium Phosphate/Fleets Enema) ….do not administer to patients with renal failure
Hypoparathyroidism due to under secretion of parathyroid hormone. The parathyroid plays a role in maintaining calcium and phosphate levels and it normally inhibits reabsorption of phosphate by the kidneys. In hypoparathyroidism, there is under secretion of PTH which causes phosphate to become over absorbed by the kidneys.
Overuse of Vitamin D (remember Vitamin D helps with phosphate absorption. Too much vitamin-d would cause too much phosphate to be absorbed)
Syndrome of Tumor Lysis is a metabolic problem that mainly occurs with treatment of cancer with chemotherapy. It causes the electrolytes to imbalance due to the cell dying and releasing intracellular contents into the blood, hence too much phosphate is released into the blood
rHabdomyolysis is rapid necrosis of the muscles and this leads to myoglobin being released into the bloodstream which affects the kidneys and causes renal failure. In renal failure, you start to have phosphate excretion decreased.
Insufficiency of Kidneys (end renal failure) causes phosphate to not be excreted
Signs & Symptoms of Hyperphosphatemia
Will have many of the same symptoms as hypocalcemia because remember phosphate and calcium function oppositely.
Remember CRAMPS (same mnemonic used for hypocalcemia)
Confusion
Reflexes hyperactive
Anorexia
Muscle spasms in calves or feet, tetany, seizures
Positive Trousseau’s Signs, Pruritus
Signs of Chvostek
Nursing Interventions of Hyperphosphatemia
- **Administer phosphate-binding drugs (PhosLo) which works on the GI system and causes phosphorus to be excreted through the stool.*** NCLEX: Give with a meals or right after eating meal
- Avoid using phosphate medication such as laxatives and enema
- Restrict foods high is phosphate ***eat, poultry, fish, dairy, nuts, sodas, oatmeal
- Prepare patient for dialysis if patient in renal failure