Consumer Information

Dehydration

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Dehydration (dee-heye-DRAY-shen) is a condition that happens when the amount of water in the body is lower than normal. Water and electrolytes (mineral salts) are usually in balance in the body and keep the body working properly. Dehydration may cause an increase or decrease in electrolytes, which may cause serious effects in your body. Dehydration may be caused by not drinking enough water, losing too much fluid, or both. Being in the sun or heat for too long, or sweating a lot may increase water loss. Certain medicines, such as diuretics (water pills), may make your body lose too much water and salt. Vomiting (throwing up), diarrhea, or having a fever that lasts a long time may also cause dehydration.
Symptoms of dehydration include dry eyes or mouth, increased thirst, dizziness, weakness, and tiredness. Your heart may beat faster or have an irregular beat, and your blood pressure may be low. A physical exam and tests, such as a urinalysis and BUN and creatinine tests, may be needed to diagnose dehydration. Treatment is usually giving fluids or fluid replacements, and treating the cause of dehydration. The earlier dehydration is treated, the better your chance of recovery. With treatment, such as fluid replacement, you may fully recover from dehydration.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

RISKS:

Treatment for dehydration should be given as soon as possible. If not treated early, you may lose more water and become severely dehydrated. If this happens, you may pass out, have seizures (convulsions), or your body organs may stop working. If your kidneys, lungs, liver, heart, and brain shut down, you may die. Sometimes, treatment for dehydration may cause unwanted side effects. Receiving too much fluid or if it is given too quickly may worsen your condition. Ask your caregiver if you have questions or concerns about your condition, medicines, or care.

WHILE YOU ARE HERE:

Informed consent: You have the right to understand your health condition in words that you know. You should be told what tests, treatments, or procedures may be done to treat your condition. Your doctor should also tell you about the risks and benefits of each treatment. You may be asked to sign a consent form that gives caregivers permission to do certain tests, treatments, or procedures. If you are unable to give your consent, someone who has permission can sign this form for you. A consent form is a legal piece of paper that tells exactly what will be done to you. Before giving your consent, make sure all your questions have been answered so that you understand what may happen.

IV: An IV is a tube placed in your vein for giving medicine or liquids. This tube is capped or connected to tubing and liquid.

Monitoring:

Body weight: You may be weighed each day. Your caregiver may compare your weight from day to day. This will help your careigver to see how much fluid is in your body. Your body does not work well when it has too much or too little fluid.
Intake and output: Your caregivers may need to know the amount of liquid you are getting. They may also need to know how much you are urinating. Men 19 years old and older should drink about 3.0 Liters of liquid each day (close to 13 eight-ounce cups). Women 19 years old and older should drink about 2.2 Liters of liquid each day (close to 9 eight-ounce cups). Certain foods also contain liquid. You may need more or less liquid each day. Ask your caregiver how much liquid you should have each day. Ask caregivers if they need to measure or collect your urine before you dispose of it.
Vital signs: This includes taking your temperature, blood pressure, pulse (counting your heartbeat), and respirations (counting your breaths). To take your blood pressure, a cuff is put on your arm and tightened. The cuff is attached to a machine which gives your blood pressure reading. Caregivers may listen to your heart and lungs by using a stethoscope. Your vital signs are taken so caregivers can see how you are doing.

PEG tube: This is also called a feeding tube, G-tube, or gastrostomy tube. A small, flexible tube is put into a small cut in your abdomen. The end of the tube goes into your stomach which is stitched closed to seal the tube. It may also be placed using an endoscope (a long thin tube passed through the mouth and down into the stomach).The PEG tube is used to give you liquids, food, and medicine. The tube may also be used to let air or fluids out of your stomach. You may have a PEG tube for a short time, or long-term. If you need it long-term, your PEG tube will need to be replaced as directed by your caregiver. You may also need to learn how to regularly clean and care for your PEG tube.

Tests:

Blood tests: You may need blood taken for tests. The blood can be taken from a blood vessel in your hand, arm, or the bend in your elbow. It is tested to see how your body is doing. It can give your caregivers more information about your health condition. You may need to have blood drawn more than once.
BUN and creatinine: Caregivers will measure the levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine in your body. This will tell caregivers if too much water is being lost or retained in your body.
Tilt table test: This test checks to see what happens to your heartbeat and your blood pressure when you change positions.
Urinalysis: This is a test that looks at your urine to find out how your kidneys are working. Caregivers look for white blood cells, protein, sugar, blood, and bacteria that are not normally in urine. They may also check the amount of water in your body by checking the concentration of your urine.

Treatment options: You may have any of the following:

Oral rehydration therapy: This therapy replaces lost body fluids by having you drink plenty of liquids to avoid dehydration. You may also drink an oral rehydration solution (ORS). An ORS has the right amounts of water, salts, and sugar you need to replace body fluids.
Intravenous therapy: You may receive fluid through a tube placed in your vein. Lost electrolytes (mineral salts) may also be included in the fluid.
Hypodermoclysis: This is also called clysis. This treatment quickly gives your body a large amount of water. The water is given into the deepest layer of your skin, which helps regulate body temperature.
Other treatments: Treating other conditions, which may have caused your dehydration, is also important. If you are using medicines that put you at risk of dehydration, they may have to be stopped. An electrolyte imbalance may also be corrected.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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