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Dehydration
Hypohydration; Thirst
Dehydration is a condition caused by the loss of too much fluid from the body. It happens when you are losing more fluids than you are taking in. Common causes include not drinking enough, sweating, diarrhea, and vomiting. Learn about the signs and symptoms of dehydration, and what to do about it.
Human body, 70% water
Image by mohamed_hassan/Pixabay
Dehydration
Image by TheVisualMD
Dehydration is condition caused by the loss of too much fluid from the body. It happens when you are losing more fluids than you are taking in, and your body does not have enough fluids to work properly.
Source: Dehydration: MedlinePlus
U.S. Army Sergeant Kornelia Rachwal gives a young Pakistani girl a drink of water as they are airlifted
Image by Technical Sergeant Mike Buytas of the United States Air Force
You can become dehydrated because of:
Source: Dehydration: MedlinePlus
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Water and Hydration
Image by TheVisualMD
Certain people have a higher risk of dehydration:
Source: Dehydration: MedlinePlus
Why So Thirsty?
Image by TheVisualMD
In adults, the symptoms of dehydration include:
In infants and young children, the symptoms of dehydration include:
Dehydration can be mild, or it can be severe enough to be life-threatening. Get medical help right away if the symptoms also include:
Source: Dehydration: MedlinePlus
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Urine color variations
Image by Scientific Animations, Inc.
To make a diagnosis, your health care provider will:
You may also have:
Source: Dehydration: MedlinePlus
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Electrolyte Panel
Also called: Electrolytes, Lytes
An electrolyte panel measures the level of the body's main electrolytes. Electrolytes are electrically charged minerals that help control many important functions in the body. Levels that are too high or too low can indicate a serious health problem.
Carbon Dioxide Blood Test
Also called: Carbon Dioxide, CO2, Bicarbonate, Metabolic Alkalosis Test, Metabolic Acidosis Test
A carbon dioxide (CO2) blood test measures the amount of carbon dioxide is in the blood in your veins. Too much or too little CO2 in the blood can indicate a health problem. The test is most often done as part of an electrolyte or metabolic panel.
Calcium Blood Test
Also called: Calcium, Hypocalcemia Test, Hypercalcemia Test
A calcium test measures the level of calcium in your blood. Abnormal calcium levels may be a sign of kidney problems, bone disease, thyroid disease, cancer, malnutrition, or another disorder.
Chloride Blood Test
Also called: Chloride, Hypochloremia Test, Hyperchloremia Test
A chloride test measures the chloride in your blood. Chloride is a mineral that helps maintain the acid-base balance in your body. The test is usually part of a routine blood screening or to help determine if there is a problem with your body's electrolyte or acid-base (pH) balance.
Magnesium Blood Test
Also called: Magnesium, Mag, Hypomagnesemia Test, Hypermagnesemia Test
This test measures the amount of magnesium in your blood. Magnesium is a mineral that is important for strong bones and muscles, heart health, energy production, and nerve function. A magnesium deficiency or excess magnesium can be a sign of a serious health problem.
Phosphate Blood Test
Also called: Phosphate Blood Levels, Phosphorus, PO4
A phosphate in blood test measures the level of phosphate in your blood. Phosphate blood levels that are too high or too low can be a sign of kidney disease or other serious health problems.
Potassium Blood Test
Also called: Potassium, Hypokalemia Test, Hyperkalemia Test
A potassium blood test measures the potassium levels in your blood. It is often included in a series of routine blood tests called an electrolyte panel. Too much or too little potassium may indicate a serious medical problem.
Sodium Blood Test
Also called: Sodium, Hyponatremia Test, Hypernatremia Test
A sodium blood test measures the amount of sodium in your blood. If your sodium blood levels are too high or too low, it may mean that you have a problem with your kidneys, dehydration, or another medical condition.
Kidney Function Panel
Also called: Kidney Panel, Renal Function Panel, Renal Panel
Your kidneys filter and clean your blood. Kidney tests include blood, urine, and imaging tests that doctors use to diagnose and monitor kidney diseases.
Blood Glucose Test
Also called: Blood Sugar Level, Glucose Test, Random Plasma Glucose, Random Glucose, Random Blood Glucose (RPG)
A blood glucose test measures the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood. It may be used to help diagnose or monitor diabetes. The test can involve a finger prick or a blood draw from your vein.
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Albumin Blood Test
Also called: Albumin, ALB, Hypoalbuminemia Test, Hyperalbuminemia Test
Albumin is a protein made by the liver that makes up about 60% of the total protein in the blood. An albumin blood test can help diagnose, evaluate, and monitor kidney and liver conditions.
Creatinine Test
Also called: Creat, Creatinine
This test measures creatinine levels in your blood or urine. Creatinine is a waste product that is made each time you move your muscles. People who have larger muscles tend to make more creatinine than people who have smaller muscles. Abnormal levels can be a sign of kidney disease.
Blood Urea Nitrogen Test
Also called: BUN, Urea Nitrogen
The test measures the amount of urea nitrogen in your blood. Urea nitrogen is one of the waste products removed from your blood by your kidneys. Higher than normal BUN levels may be a sign that your kidneys aren't working efficiently.
Glomerular Filtration Rate
Also called: GFR, Estimated GFR, eGFR, Calculated GFR, cGFR
A glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a test that estimates how much blood passes through filters in the kidneys each minute. It helps diagnose kidney disease in its early stages when it's most treatable. It is also used to monitor kidney function in people with kidney disease — the lower the GFR number, the worse the kidney function.
Anion Gap Blood Test
Also called: Anion Gap, AGAP
The anion gap measures the difference—or gap—between the negatively charged and positively charged electrolytes in your blood. If the anion gap is either too high or too low, it may be a sign of a disorder in your lungs, kidneys, or other organ systems.
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Osmolality Tests
Also called: Osmolality and Osmolal Gap, Osmotic Gap
Osmolality tests measure the amount of certain electrolytes and chemicals in blood, urine, or stool. The test can show whether you have an unhealthy balance of fluids in your body. An unhealthy fluid balance may be caused by dehydration, kidney disease, or other serious conditions.
Hydration of the Kidney
Image by TheVisualMD
The treatment for dehydration is to replace the fluids and electrolytes that you have lost. For mild cases, you may just need to drink lots of water. If you lost electrolytes, sports drinks may help. There are also oral rehydration solutions for children. You can buy those without a prescription.
Severe cases may be treated with intravenous (IV) fluids with salt in a hospital.
Source: Dehydration: MedlinePlus
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What is Hydration?
Video by TheVisualMD
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The key to preventing dehydration is making sure that you get enough fluids:
Source: Dehydration: MedlinePlus
How We Acquire & Lose Water
Image by TheVisualMD
It’s important for your body to have plenty of fluids each day. Water helps you digest your food, absorb nutrients from food, and then get rid of the unused waste. Water is found in foods—both solids and liquids, as well as in its natural state.
With age, you might lose some of your sense of thirst. To further complicate matters, some medicines might make it even more important to have plenty of fluids.
Remember, water is a good way to add fluids to your daily routine without adding calories.
Try these tips for getting enough fluids:
Source: National Institute on Aging (NIA)
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