Dehydration in AdultsMedical Author:
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhDDr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications. Medical Editor:
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical EditorMelissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Dehydration DefinitionDehydration: Excessive loss of body water. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that cause vomiting or diarrhea may, for example, lead to dehydration. There are a number of other causes of dehydration including heat exposure, prolonged vigorous exercise (for example, in a marathon), kidney disease, and medications (diuretics). One clue to dehydration is a rapid drop in weight. A loss of over 10% (15 pounds in a person weighing 150 pounds) is considered severe. Symptoms and signs of dehydration include increasing thirst, dry mouth, weakness or lightheadedness (particularly if worse on standing), and a darkening of the urine or a decrease in urination. Severe dehydration can lead to changes in the body's chemistry, kidney failure, and become life-threatening. SOURCE: MedTerms.com. Dehydration. Read the rest of the definition of dehydration » Top Searched Dehydration in Adults Terms:
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Dehydration in Adults OverviewDehydration is a condition that can occur when the loss of body fluids, mostly water, exceeds the amount that is taken in. With dehydration, more water is moving out of individual cells and then out of the body than the amount of water that is taken in through drinking. Medically, dehydration usually means a person has lost enough fluid so that the body begins to lose its ability to function normally, and begins to produce symptoms related to the fluid loss. People (and animals) lose water every day in the form of water vapor in the breath we exhale, and as water in our sweat, urine, and stool. Along with the water, small amounts of salts or electrolytes are also lost. Our bodies are constantly readjusting the balance between water (and salts or electrolytes) losses with fluid intake. When we lose too much water, our bodies may become out of balance or dehydrated. Most doctors divide dehydration into three stages: 1) mild, 2) moderate and 3) severe. Mild and often even moderate dehydration can be reversed or put back in balance by oral intake of fluids that contain electrolytes (or salts) that are lost during activity. If unrecognized and untreated, some instances of moderate and severe dehydration can lead to death. This article is designed to discuss dehydration in adults. Dehydration Pictures
Causes of Dehydration in AdultsMany conditions may cause rapid and continued fluid losses and lead to dehydration.
In addition to drinking water, the body also needs replacement of electrolytes lost with the above mentioned conditions, so drinking water without electrolyte replacement may not complete the balance of water and electrolytes the body has lost. Some symptoms (see below) may remain if this balance is not restored. Viewer Comments & ReviewsDehydration (Adults) - SymptomsThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What were the symptoms of your dehydration? Dehydration (Adults) - Causes and TreatmentThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What was the cause of your dehydration and how was it treated? |
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Dehydration (Adults)
Dehydration in Children Overview
Dehydration means that a child's body lacks enough fluid. Dehydration can result from not drinking, vomiting, diarrhea, or any combination of these conditions. Rarely, sweating too much or urinating too much can cause dehydration . Infants and small children are much more likely to become dehydrated than older children or adults, because they can lose relatively more fluid quickly.
Causes of Dehydration in Children
- Dehydration is most often caused by a viral infection that causes
fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and a decreased ability to drink or eat.
- Common viral infections causing vomiting and diarrhea include
rotavirus,
Norwalk virus, and adenovirus.
- Sometimes sores in a child's mouth (caused by a virus) make it painful to eat or drink, which helps to cause or worsen d...
- Common viral infections causing vomiting and diarrhea include
rotavirus,
Norwalk virus, and adenovirus.
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