Dehydration is defined as the excessive loss of body fluid.

1. BY
NATASHA PURI

2.  WHAT IS DEHYDRATION?
 TYPES OF DEHYDRATION
 SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
 DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
 TESTS
 TREATMENT

3.  Dehydration occurs when your body loses more
fluid than you take in.
 When the normal water content of your body is
reduced, it upsets the balance of minerals (salts
and sugar) in your body, which affects the way it
functions.
 Water makes up over two-thirds of the healthy
human body. It lubricates the joints and eyes, aids
digestion, flushes out waste and toxins, and keeps
the skin healthy.

4.  There are three types of dehydration:
a. Hypotonic or hyponatremic (primarily a loss
of electrolytes, sodium in particular),
b. Hypertonic or hypernatremic (primarily a
loss of water),and
c. Isotonic or isonatremic (equal loss of water
and electrolytes).

5.  May include headaches similar to what is
experienced during a hangover
 A sudden episode of visual snow
 Dizziness or fainting when standing up due
to orthostatic hypotension
Untreated dehydration generally results in
delirium, unconsciousness, swelling of the
tongue and, in extreme cases, death.

6.  Thirst
 Dryness of mucous membrane
 Loss of skin turgor
 Orthostatic hypotension or tachycardia
 Reduced jugular venous pressure(JVP) or
central venous pressure(CVP)
 Decreased urine output

7.  In humans, dehydration can be caused by a wide range of
diseases and states that impair water homeostasis in the body.
These include:
a. External or stress-related causes
 Prolonged physical activity with sweating without consuming
adequate water, especially in a hot and/or dry environment
 Blood loss or hypotension due to physical trauma
 Diarrhea
 Hyperthermia
 Shock(hypovolemic)
 Vomiting
 Burns
 Lacrimation
 Use of methamphetamine, amphetamine, caffeine and other
stimulants
 Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages

8. b. Malnutrition
 Electrolyte disturbance
 Hypernatremia (also caused by dehydration)
 Hypernatremia, especially from restricted salt
diets
 Fasting
 Recent rapid weight loss may reflect progressive
depletion of fluid volume (the loss of 1 L of fluid
results in a weight loss of 1kg (2.2lb)).
 Patient refusal of nutrition and hydration
 Inability to swallow (obstruction of the
esophagus)

9. c. Infectious Disease
 Cholera
 Gastroenteritis
 Shigellosis
 Yellow fever

10. d. Other causes of obligate water loss
 Severe hyperglycemia, especially in diabetes
mellitus
- Glycosuria
- Uremia
 Diabetes insipidus
 Acute emergency dehydration event
 Food borne illness

11.  Blood chemistries(to check electrolytes,
especially sodium, potassium, and bicarbonate
levels)
 Blood urea nitrogen(BUN)
 Complete blood count(CBC)
 Creatinine
 Urine specific gravity
Other tests may be done to determine the
cause of the dehydration (for example, blood
sugar level to check for diabetes

12.  For some dehydration oral fluid is the most
effective to replenish fluid deficit.
 In more severe cases, correction of fluid deficit is
best by intravenous therapy. Solutions used for
intravenous rehydration must be isotonic or
hypotonic.
 For severe cases of dehydration where fainting,
unconsciousness, or other severely inhibiting
symptom is present (the patient is incapable of
standing or thinking clearly), emergency
attention is required. Fluids containing a proper
balance of replacement electrolytes are given
intravenously with continuing assessment of
electrolyte status.