Milliekvivalentide

Milliekvivalentide, often abbreviated as mEq, is a unit of measurement used in chemistry and medicine to express the concentration of ions in a solution. It represents the number of millimoles of a substance that can react with or are equivalent to one millimole of another substance in a particular chemical reaction. The concept of equivalents is particularly important when dealing with substances that have different valencies or ionic charges.

To calculate milliequivalents, one must first determine the equivalent weight of the substance. This is done by dividing the molecular weight of the substance by its valence (the number of hydrogen ions it can donate or accept in an acid-base reaction, or the magnitude of its charge for an ion). The formula is: Equivalent Weight = Molecular Weight / Valence. Milliequivalents are then calculated by dividing the mass of the substance in milligrams by its equivalent weight. Alternatively, it can be expressed as the concentration of the ion in millimoles per liter multiplied by the ion's valence.

In medical contexts, milliequivalents are frequently used to express the concentration of electrolytes in body fluids, such as blood and urine. This is because the physiological effects of electrolytes often depend on their number of equivalents rather than their number of moles. For example, a solution containing 10 mEq of sodium ions has the same chemical reactivity or physiological effect in terms of charge as a solution containing 10 mEq of chloride ions. This standardization helps in understanding and managing electrolyte balance in patients.