This document discusses dehydration, including its causes, types, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Dehydration occurs when the body loses more fluid than is taken in, disrupting mineral balances. There are three types depending on what is lost primarily. Common signs include thirst, dry mucous membranes, and decreased urine output. Causes include external factors like vomiting or diarrhea, malnutrition, infectious diseases, and medical conditions that increase obligate water loss. Diagnosis involves blood and urine tests to check electrolyte levels. Treatment involves oral or intravenous fluid replacement depending on severity to restore fluid and mineral balance in the body.

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.