Dorothy FarrarDehydration (dehydration)
Dehydration ( dehydration , dehydration ) leads to a chemical imbalance in the human body. Since 75 percent of the organism consists of water, progressive dehydration means serious health problems. If the lack of fluids is not compensated promptly, dehydration can lead to death.
What is dehydration (dehydration, dehydration)?
Dehydration, dehydration or dehydration refers to the imbalance between the amount of water that is lost from the body each day and the amount that is taken in to compensate. Most of the water in the body is inside the cells. A smaller part in their vicinity.
Fluid loss occurs constantly. When you breathe, the air is enriched with the body’s own water. People sweat or excrete urine and water-containing feces. This loss of liquid is compensated for by a sufficient amount of water in the form of drinking water. Only when the ratio between the water given off and the water taken in is negative does a harmful lack of liquid occur.
causes
There are a variety of reasons for dehydration. Some diseases cause increased water excretion. These include diarrhea and vomiting . If the body temperature rises as a result of fever , dehydration occurs due to the increased production of sweat.
One of the serious diseases with dehydration as a symptom is diabetes . Urine production increases, removing more fluid from the body than in a healthy person. The result is dehydration.
One of the protective functions of human skin is to prevent dehydration. For this reason, fire victims run the risk of suffering from dehydration. This depends on the size of the burned body area and the severity of the burns.
Finally, external influences can cause dehydration. In addition to the self-determined renunciation of drinking enough water, such as with a diet, this includes the lack of water during a drought or in desert areas.
When to the doctor?
If a lack of fluid (dehydration) cannot be compensated for by drinking alone, the doctor must administer fluids intravenously to maintain circulation and organ functions. This is often the case after major physical exertion associated with heavy sweating : Due to the high loss of fluids, symptoms such as circulatory disorders, clouded consciousness and dizziness combined with headaches and nausea occur.
In older people, dehydration often occurs gradually and also manifests itself in attacks of dizziness, and states of confusion and difficulty concentrating are not uncommon. Dry mucous membranes and standing skin folds that do not recede after you let go are further signs of a dehydration that is already becoming a threat. Those affected are often not able to drink enough: Here, relatives or those in the immediate vicinity should encourage a visit to the doctor for a quick supply of fluids with infusions.
Severe diarrhea can also lead to dehydration of the body – especially if vomiting occurs at the same time and liquid intake via the gastrointestinal tract is not possible.
In babies and small children, a lack of fluids can quickly lead to life-threatening dehydration. A visit to the doctor should not be delayed here. Heavy bleeding also causes a massive lack of fluids in the body, which, if left untreated, can lead to shock and organ failure: In addition to fluid intake, eliminating the cause is the focus of medical treatment.
symptoms and course
The most well-known symptom of dehydration is thirst . People who have developed dehydration have dry mouth . They sweat less, their urine volume decreases, but the urine takes on a darker color due to the concentration of waste materials in it. Confusion , disorientation, an increased heart rate and muscle cramps are added depending on the severity of the dehydration.
The initially mild course with a feeling of thirst increases to more threatening symptoms. The reason for this is that when the water content falls, the organism still tries to maintain the blood circulation at its usual strength. In order to achieve this when there is a lack of liquid, the number of heartbeats is increased. Eventually, this compensation fails with increasing fluid loss. Vital organs and the brain become starved until death occurs from advanced dehydration.
Diagnose
Physicians often have to deal with dehydration even far away from drought areas. Children, elderly patients or athletes in particular can suffer from it. To diagnose dehydration, it is examined whether the patient is mentally oriented or already suffering from deficiencies. Blood pressure is often low with dehydration while heart rate increases sharply.
A simple test is to check the elasticity of the skin if dehydration is suspected. Depending on the age of the patient, this should return to its original smooth position immediately after being gently pinched and pulled up. The electrolyte balance is checked in a blood test in the laboratory, which shows deviations from the normal values in the event of a lack of fluids.
complications
In the event of a lack of liquid, the body usually reports thirst, which can usually be quenched by drinking without any problems. However, severe fluid loss can lead to significant complications. This applies to all age groups. Regardless of the cause of dehydration, you may experience weakness, muscle cramps, heart palpitations , and even unconsciousness. In very severe cases, dehydration can even lead to death.
These complications are particularly common in infants, small children and the elderly. In the course of dehydration, not only liquid but also many electrolytes are lost. Severe dehydration is already present at a fluid loss of nine to twelve percent. In this situation, the skin folds stop and the blood pressure drops sharply. If the fluid loss exceeds twelve percent, the body goes into shock .
In addition to the circulatory collapse, there are disturbances of consciousness , which can manifest themselves in states of confusion, delirium or even coma. In diabetes, increased urination can lead to diabetic coma. Dehydration often occurs with massive diarrhea and, in severe cases, can lead to unconsciousness or even death. An earlier example of this was cholera. In the case of severe hypofunction of the adrenal cortex, Addison’s disease, massive dehydration with loss of salt leads to the so-called Addisonian crisis, which can be fatal.
treatment and therapy
In the treatment of dehydration, it depends on the stage reached. If the dehydration is mild, hospitalization is not necessary. Consuming fluids at a steady rate until the symptoms subside is sufficient.
It is important to ensure that not only water but also fortified drinks ( electrolytes ) are consumed, which compensate for the loss of electrolytes. Diseases that trigger the lack of fluids, such as diarrhea or fever , are treated with medication so that the fluid intake does not constantly contribute to a loss of fluids.
If the lack of fluids is already more advanced or the independent treatment cannot be guaranteed, the patient will be hospitalized.
The lack of liquid is compensated by infusions. The treatment must be carried out without delay, but at the same time it must not be carried out with too much liquid in order to avoid cell damage due to lack of liquid.
outlook and prognosis
Mild dehydration can be overcome with no ill effects by drinking adequate amounts of water. Dehydration does not pose a danger if it is recognized in good time – for example through strongly colored and smelling urine . Severe dehydration, on the other hand, is dangerous for the organism. The persistent undersupply of all bodily processes can, in extreme cases, lead to a collapse and be life-threatening. In addition, the drop in blood pressure and dehydration of the brain have a negative effect on the heart and brain. Persistent undersupply can lead to cell death. The thicker blood can cause thrombosis and other abnormalities to form. Left untreated, dehydration always leads to death.
Dehydration, which is mainly due to diarrhea and vomiting, is more critical than dehydration, which is simply due to reduced fluid intake. This can sometimes be difficult to compensate for and, in severe cases, requires an intravenous administration of fluid. Older people and infants also tolerate dehydration less well than other people. Within three days, a person dies from dehydration. The sooner dehydration is counteracted, the better the prognosis.
prevention
Regular drinking is the best prevention against dehydration. Fresh water enriched with a little lemon juice for a fresh taste is suitable for this. Several large glasses of water throughout the day effectively prevent dehydration. In the case of the elderly or children, those in charge of care should pay attention to fluid intake. High-performance athletes need more water. This applies to any unusual exertion or increased sweating at high temperatures. Preventing dehydration is part of the daily routine.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.