[Cations in the human blood serum].

The review summarizes data (more than 450 references) on concentration of human serum cations (Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+) and human blood serum osmolality depending on age, diverse physiological and pathological states, and action of physiologically active substances. There are summarized data of many thousand measurements of physicochemical parameters of the blood serum, the mean values of osmolality and cation concentrations in healthy people are calculated. The values are kept at a stable level throughtout the entire life since the moment of birth; in many cases they are maintained by regulatory systems within the normal limits and during various physiological and pathological states. There are formulated the main types of the states characterized by deviations from norm of physicochemical parameters of the internal medium fluids.