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Dehydration

• Definition • Causes • Risk Factors • Symptoms • Diagnosis • Treatment • Prevention

Definition

Dehydration results from excessive loss of fluids from the body.

Causes

To work properly, the body requires a certain amount of water and other elements, called electrolytes. Drinking and eating help to replace fluids that have been lost through the body's functions. Fluids are normally lost through sweat, urine, bowel movements, and breathing. If you lose a lot of fluids and do not replace them, you can become dehydrated.

Risk Factors

Factors that may increase the risk of dehydration include:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
High fever
Exposure to the heat and sun
Excessive exercise
Medicines, including diuretics (water pills) and laxatives
Inadequate fluid intake due to certain conditions, such as mobility problems, mental or memory problems, decreased ability to perceive thirst
Fluid imbalance caused by certain conditions, such as diabetes, lung disease, kidney disease, burns

Other risk factors include:

Age: being less than two years old, or being 65 years or older
Living in a nursing home
Participating in an athletic competition

Symptoms

Symptoms vary depending on the degree of dehydration. Symptoms may include:

Dry mouth
Limited tear production
Thirst
Weakness
Decreased urination
Concentrated urine (such as, darker color, stronger odor)
Wrinkled skin or tenting when pinched
Eyes that appear sunken
Parched, cracked lips
Dizziness or feeling faint
Drowsiness
Nausea
Irritability
Confusion
Fever
Low blood pressure
Increased pulse
Fast breathing
Weight loss
In infants, sunken soft spot in the skull

Soft Spot in Infant Skull

Dehydration can be extremely serious and life threatening. It may require immediate medical care.

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will also be done. This will include measuring your vital signs. To help provide information for the doctor, keep a diary of:

Your daily weight
Number of times you have vomited or moved your bowels
Your fluid and food intake
Your urine output
Any self-treatments you may have tried

Tests may include:

Urine tests—to check the concentration of the urine
Blood tests—to check body fluids and body chemistry

Treatment

Therapy aims to rehydrate the body, replace lost electrolytes, and prevent complications. If you have an underlying condition, your doctor will treat that, as well.

Treatment may include:

Fluid Replacement

If you have minimal or moderate dehydration, you doctor may have you replace fluids by mouth. You may need to:

Drink small amounts of oral rehydration solution throughout the day. Continue to drink the oral rehydration solution. Avoid other drinks, such as:
- Beverages with alcohol or caffeine, such as coffee, tea, and soft drinks
- Carbonated drinks, sweetened drinks, fruit juices, and plain water
Increase the amount of liquid as you can tolerate it.

If you are severely dehydrated, intravenous fluids (given through a vein in your arm) will be given to rapidly replace fluids.

Medication

Your doctor may recommend that you take medicine, such as:

Antiemetics for severe vomiting
Antidiarrheal medicine for severe diarrhea or abdominal cramping
Antibiotics for severe diarrhea caused by a certain bacterial infection

If you are diagnosed with dehydration, follow your doctor's instructions.

Prevention

To prevent dehydration:

Drink plenty of fluids, even if you are busy or sick.
Drink fluids regularly while exercising or when outdoors on a hot day. Stop frequently for fluid breaks.

RESOURCES:

American Academy of Family Physicians
http://www.aafp.org

American Academy of Pediatrics
http://www.aap.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

About Kids Health
http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca

Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index_e.html

REFERENCES:

Dehydration and heat stroke. Wexner Medical Center website. Available at: http://medicalcent... . Accessed July 23, 2012.

Dehydration and hypovolemia. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://dynamed.ebscohost.com/about/about-us . Updated January 25, 2012. Accessed July 23, 2012.

Rehydration therapy in children. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://dynamed.ebscohost.com/about/about-us . Updated February 26, 2012. Accessed July 23, 2012.

Last reviewed March 2013 by Brian Randall
Last Updated: 03/15/2013

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