crystalloid
(noun)
Aqueous solutions of mineral salts or other water-soluble molecules, such as saline solution.
Examples of crystalloid in the following topics:
-
Plasma and Blood Volume Expanders
- There are two main types of volume expanders: crystalloids and colloids.
- Crystalloids are aqueous solutions of mineral salts or other water-soluble molecules.
- Colloids: These solutions preserve a high-colloid osmotic pressure (protein-exerted pressure) in the blood, while this parameter is decreased by crystalloids due to hemodilution.
- Crystalloids: The most commonly used crystalloid fluid is normal saline, a solution of sodium chloride at 0.9% concentration, which is close to the concentration in the blood (isotonic).