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Can Dehydration Cause High Blood Pressure? A Research-Backed Examination
Key Highlights:
- Dehydration can lead to changes in blood pressure, both low and high
- The body’s hydration level is essential for regulating blood pressure
- Certain medications for high blood pressure can cause dehydration
- Maintaining proper daily water intake is crucial for overall health
- Additional lifestyle choices, such as diet and exercise, can also affect blood pressure and hydration levels
Introduction
Dehydration and high blood pressure are common health problems. They can both harm your body in different ways. Hence, it’s crucial to understand their link and how they work together. In this article, we’ll examine the tie between dehydration and blood pressure. We’ll study the evidence behind their connection and offer useful tips for good hydration and blood pressure levels.
We’re going to talk about what dehydration is, the basics of high blood pressure, and how these two relate. We’ll also look at how medicine can cause dehydration, how much water you should drink daily, and how lifestyle choices impact hydration and blood pressure. Finally, we’ll cover when to see a doctor and answer common questions about the topic.
Understanding Dehydration
So what exactly is dehydration? Is it just a dry mouth now and then, or is it more serious?
1. What is dehydration?
Dehydration happens when your body loses more fluids than it gets. This leads to a lack of water and electrolytesneeded for normal body functions. If you don’t replace the lost fluids, your body starts to dehydrate. This condition can be very harmful, especially for young children and older adults who are more at risk.
2. Causes of dehydration
Multiple factors can lead to dehydration:
- Not drinking enough fluid due to illness, being busy or not having clean drinking water
- Heavy diarrhoea and vomiting
- Fever, which often makes you lose more fluid through sweat
- Exercising in hot, humid weather without making up for the lost fluids
- Peeing more than usual, which could be due to unknown diabetes, certain drugs like diuretics and blood pressure medicines, or drinking alcohol
3. Symptoms of dehydration in adults
Knowing the signs of dehydration is key. The early warning signs might vary depending on your age. Common signs in adults include:
- Extreme thirst
- Peeling less often
- Dark pee
- Tiredness
- Feeling dizzy
- Confusion
4. Symptoms of dehydration in infants and young children
The symptoms of dehydration in infants and young kids can comprise:
- Dry mouth and tongue
- No tears while crying
- No wet diapers for three hours
- Sunken eyes and cheeks
- A sunken fontanel (soft spot) on the skull’s top
- Being super lazy or grumpy
5. Preventing dehydration
To keep yourself from getting dehydrated, drink plenty of fluids and eat fruits and vegetables that have a lot of water. It’s important to drink more water particularly when it’s hot, if you do a tough workout or if you’re not feeling well. Pay attention to your body and ensure you drink enough fluids.
Staying hydrated is very critical as dehydration can reduce the blood volume and consequently your blood pressure may fall too low and when left untreated low blood pressure can damage the heart or brain.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology
Did you know?
- Dehydration can lead to complications such as altered mental status, renal failure, and lactic acidosis. source: NCBI
- In patients with dehydration and severe hyponatremia, rapid volume repletion may cause central pontine myelinolysis (CPM). source: NCBI
- In elderly patients, fatigue and missed drinks between meals are predictors of dehydration. source: NCBI
- Serum and plasma osmolality tests are commonly used to diagnose dehydration. source: NCBI
- Excess pure water loss through the skin, lungs, and kidneys can cause dehydration. source: NCBI
High Blood Pressure: The Basics
Blood pressure is the force your blood puts on the walls of your arteries and veins. Let’s dig into the basics of high blood pressure or hypertension.
1. Definition of high blood pressure (hypertension)
High blood pressure, which goes by the name hypertension, is when the force of your blood pushing against your blood vessel walls is higher than the normal range 120/80 mm HgIt affects about one in three American adults.
2. Causes and risk factors
Many things can lead to high blood pressure:
- Your genes: Having family members with hypertension increases your risk
- Getting older: The risk of high blood pressure goes up over time
- Ethnicity: African Americans are more at risk than other racial groups
- Being overweight or obese
- Using tobacco
- Eating too much salt
- Not getting enough exercise
- Undergoing a lot of stress
- Drinking alcohol
3. Symptoms and complications
Often, you can’t tell if you have high blood pressure. But if it’s not treated, it can cause serious problems like stroke, heart attack, kidney damage, and loss of sight.
4. Prevention measures
To keep from having high blood pressure, try to make healthy lifestyle choices like:
- Eating healthy food
- Doing regular exercise
- Keeping a healthy weight
- Limiting your alcohol intake
- Managing stress
- Quitting smoking
In my experience I have found that dehydration is always accompanied by loss of fluid from blood vessels which leads to a low volume state called hypovolemic shock and is always accompanied by low blood pressure.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD(Pediatrics)
The Link Between Dehydration and Blood Pressure
Let’s look at how dehydration might change blood pressure. It can lead to both low and high blood pressure.
1. How dehydration affects blood pressure
Dehydration can change blood pressure in various ways:
- If your blood volume decreases because of dehydration, you can have low blood pressure as there won’t be enough fluid in your blood vessels for your body to work right
- When you’re dehydrated, your body lets out a hormone called vasopressin. It makes your blood vessels tighten and tells your kidneys to keep more water. These actions can hike up your blood pressure
2. Dehydration and low blood pressure
If dehydration causes a large drop in your blood volume, you can get a type of low blood pressure called hypotension. With less blood volume, your blood can’t reach all your body tissue the way it should. Very severe dehydration can lead to a very dangerous condition called hypovolemic shock.
3. Dehydration and high blood pressure
Dehydration can also cause high blood pressure, known as hypertension. Your body lets out vasopressin when you’re dehydrated, which tells your kidneys to keep more water and makes your blood vessels tighten. Both of these can raise your blood pressure.
4. The role of body hydration in regulating blood pressure
Hydration plays a key part in controlling blood pressure. You need plenty of fluids to keep your blood volume right and make sure your organs and tissues work properly. Staying well-hydrated can help avoid both low and high blood pressure and improve your overall health.
Also Read: Honey Dew Fruit: Unraveling Its Research-Based Health Benefits
The Role of Medication
While medicines and drugs play an important role in handling high blood pressure, some medicines can cause dehydration.
1. How certain medications can cause dehydration
Some medicines, including diuretics and certain other high blood pressure medications, can cause you to pee more, leading to dehydration.
2. Blood pressure medications that cause dehydration
Some blood pressure drugs, like angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), may cause dehydration as a side effect. If you take these drugs, you must drink enough fluid to keep yourself well-hydrated and control your blood pressure.
3. Managing medication-induced dehydration
If you take drugs that might cause dehydration, talk with your healthcare provider about how much fluid you should drink each day to stay well hydrated. They might suggest that you drink more fluids or perhaps alter your drug routine if needed.
How to Stay Hydrated
Keeping hydrated is key to all-around health and managing blood pressure. Do you know how much water you should drink each day?
1. How much water should you drink each day?
Every adult woman should drink 91 ounces (or 2.7 litres) of water daily and every adult man 125 ounces (or 3.7 litres), says the National Academy of Sciences. This includes both drinks and water-rich foods. That said, a person’s water needs may change based on things like their age, sex, weight, overall health, how much they exercise and the drugs they take.
2. Factors affecting daily water intake
Your water needs depend on many things, including:
- Age and sex
- Weight and general health
- How much physical activity you do
- The weather and climate conditions
- Any specific drugs you’re taking
3. What counts as hydration: different sources of water
Besides plain water, you can get your daily fluid intake from other drinks and foods:
- Water with fruit slices (like lemon or cucumber)
- Sparkling water with no sugar
- Smoothies made from fruits and vegetables
- Herbal tea with no caffeine
- Milk
- Soups with low-sodium
4. Drinks to limit or avoid
You should control or avoid certain drinks to manage high blood pressure or dehydration, such as:
- Sugary sodas and energy drinks
- Flavoured coffee drinks
- Alcohol
- Sports drinks, except if you need them to replace electrolytes
The Impact of Lifestyle Choices on Blood Pressure and Hydration
Your diet, how much you exercise and other lifestyle choices can affect your high blood pressure and hydration levels.
1. The role of diet and exercise in managing hypertension and dehydration
Eating well and doing regular exercise can help you both stay hydrated and manage your blood pressure. Go for food and drinks rich in water to keep your fluids up and eat a balanced diet to manage your overall health and blood pressure.
2. Smart dietary choices to stay hydrated and manage blood pressure
Try to eat food and drinks rich in water, like:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains
- Dairy low in fat
- Lean proteins
- Nuts and seeds
Avoid foods high in sodium and bad fats, which can raise your blood pressure.
3. Physical activities and their impact on hydration and blood pressure
Doing regular physical activity can help keep a healthy blood pressure by making the heart stronger and improving circulation. Try to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of strong aerobic activity per week, plus muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week.
Remember to stay well hydrated before, during, and after exercise, and pay attention to your body’s thirst cues to know when to drink more.
When to Seek Medical Attention
You must know how to spot the signs of dehydration and high blood pressure and get medical help when needed.
1. Recognizing the symptoms of severe dehydration
Severe dehydration needs to be treated right away. Get professional help if you or a loved one presents:
- Diarrhea that lasts 24 hours or more
- Acting out of control or confused plus sleeping too much or doing too little
- Can’t hold down fluids
- Having bloody or black stools
Whenever you spot symptoms of low BP in an otherwise healthy person, ORS oral rehydration solution can be given immediately. It is important to prepare ORS with cooled and boiled drinking water or otherwise safe filtered drinking water. Follow the steps given on the pack. Keep checking blood pressure and blood sugar in people with hypertension and diabetes when managing low BP symptoms. Consult a doctor after giving initial care at home to avoid any complications.
2. When to consult a doctor for dehydration
Get in touch with your healthcare provider if you:
- Have had diarrhoea for 24 hours or more
- Are overly grumpy or confused
- Can’t keep down fluids
- See bloody or black stools
- Feel weak and dizzy
3. When to consult a doctor for high blood pressure
Reach out to your healthcare provider if you see high blood pressure readings again and again or have symptoms tied to high blood pressure (like severe headaches, chest pain or trouble breathing). They might suggest changes in your lifestyle, drugs or other steps to help you manage your blood pressure.
Conclusion
It’s critical to understand how dehydration and high blood pressure are linked for your total health. While dehydration can vary your blood pressure, it’s key to make sure you drink enough fluids every day to regulate your blood pressure and cut down on health problems that are related.
Make it a goal to stay hydrated, along with other healthy lifestyle choices like eating a balanced diet and getting regular physical activity. By controlling your hydration and blood pressure, you’ll be in a better place to keep up your general health and wellness.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can not drinking enough water cause high blood pressure?Not directly. But if you’re dehydrated a lot, it can be harder for your body to keep enough blood volume. This can narrow your blood vessels and raise your blood pressure as a result.
Does blood pressure go up when dehydrated?Yes, when you’re dehydrated, your blood pressure could go up as a counter-effect to manage low BP. This happens due to the release of a hormone involved in keeping water.
How much does dehydration affect blood pressure?It’s hard to say for sure how much dehydration can change blood pressure. However, being dehydrated from mild to severe can cause changes in blood pressure that might harm you.
What are the symptoms of dehydration and high blood pressure?Signs of dehydration are severe thirst, peeing less often, dark peeing, feeling worn out, being confused or feeling dizzy. High blood pressure usually has no clear signs. But with very high blood pressure readings, people might have severe headaches, chest pain, hard time breathing, throwing up, anxiety, confusion, eyesight changes, and dizziness.
Can other drinks apart from water help in lowering blood pressure?Yes, drinks like beet juice, tomato juice, pomegranate juice, cranberry juice, low-fat milk, and tea might help keep or even lower blood pressure. However, you should drink these in addition to the daily water you need to drink, and make sure to ask your healthcare provider about what you should eat and drink based on your health and any restrictions.
4 Common Summer Season Diseases & How To Prevent Them?
Not only are summers in India immensely uncomfortable but they also have the potential to be quite lethal. The relentless sun beating down on you can wreak havoc with your body. But, do not despair. You can actually breeze through summer and keep yourself safe (and sane) and the only way to do that is by being aware of the illnesses that summer can trigger.
1. Dehydration
When the water content in your body depletes, you get dehydrated. Summer induces you to sweat a lot. Perspiration, as well as fluid loss through urination, means your body does not have enough water to sustain itself. You can tell you are on the verge of dehydration if you-
- Feel thirsty all the time.
- Are urinating frequently and your urine is dark-hued.
- Feel disoriented
- Experience headaches
To prevent these symptoms from setting in, all you need to do is chug down plenty of water at regular intervals. You can also opt for green coconut water or ‘lassi’. Do not forget to munch on as many watery fruits as possible. Fruits like watermelons, grapes, papayas or mangoes can replenish your body’s water supply.
Read More: How to Stay Hydrated?
2. Sun Stroke
If the temperature soars beyond 40 degrees or celsius, you need to be very wary of the threat of sunstroke. This is actually categorized as a health emergency. Exposure to heat for a long stretch of time in conjunction with dehydration messes with the body’s ability to regulate internal temperature. This triggers sunstroke, which can damage your brain cells and be lethal.
You can foretell the onset of sunstroke from these symptoms-
- Piercing headache
- Dizziness
- Muscle cramps
- Seizures
- Elevated heart rate
To avert sunstroke, drink plenty of fluids, unfurl your umbrella when you step outside, avoid going out between 12 noon and 3 PM and wear comfortable cotton clothing.
3. Hay Fever
Hay fever is a kind of allergy. When your body’s immunity cannot fight off foreign bodies that enter it, you break out in allergies. It is especially prevalent in early summer when flowers bloom and the pollen comes in contact with your body.
Some indicators of hay fever are-
- Congested nose and watering eyes.
- Coughing and sneezing.
- Fatigue and fever.
You can reduce your exposure to allergens if you wear a pollution mask. If you are prone to allergies, consult with your doctor, some medicines can ease the symptoms.
Summer flu or flu as it is more generally known, is a highly contagious respiratory disease.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD
4.Food Poisoning
Summer is the time when several dangerous microorganisms such as Salmonella and Clostridium thrive. And they multiply in food. That is why, unless you prepare your food and store it in the right way, you can come down with a severe case of food poisoning.
The signs of food poisoning are-
- Stomach cramp
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever
You can immunize yourself against food poisoning if you avoid undercooked meat, raw vegetables, fish that has not been cooked at high temperature and fast food. These foods are the breeding ground for harmful microorganisms.
Heat exhaustion, headache, dizziness, weakness, and hyperthermia are commonly seen in summer season. Getting adequate hydration and a limited exposure to sun should be tried as far as possible.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D.
5. Sunburns
When you expose yourself to the sun for an extended duration, the harmful ultraviolet rays (UVA, UVB) can penetrate your delicate skin leading to a condition called sunburns. This condition is characterised by itchy, dry and red skin that can be accompanied by nausea, fever or chills. In cases where the burns are severe, there may be blisters and the skin may peel once the condition subsides.
What Can You Do:
You can apply a good sunscreen lotion with a stronger SPF about 20 minutes before getting out in the sun. Also, make sure that the skin is moisturised properly.
6. Chicken pox
One of the most deadly summer diseases in India is pox or chickenpox. This viral condition manifests as small fluid-filled blisters all over the body. This condition usually affects small children; however, sometimes adults who are diabetic, have a weakened immune system, have cancer or other such underlying medical conditions may get affected too. This contagious disease spreads through air-borne particles that are spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or if the caregiver comes in direct contact with the infected person. Sometimes, the infection may stay dormant until the apt weather conditions arise to support the infection.
What Can You Do
The best you can do is to get a chickenpox shot and prevent yourself from being around the infected person. The infected person should be kept quarantined at home with minimum contact.
7. Jaundice
Another deadly disease that you need to watch out for during the summer months is jaundice. This condition may affect anyone who consumes contaminated food or water. Hepatitis A virus gets into the body through the faeces-oral route, and this happens when you consume water or food that is contaminated with the faeces of an infected person. This condition can become severe and affect the liver too. The main symptoms of jaundice include yellowish skin, pale eyes, dark-coloured urine and itchy skin
What Can You Do
One of the most effective ways to keep this infection at bay is by avoiding the exposure to this kind of infection. Maintaining a healthy weight, managing your cholesterol levels and putting a limit to your alcohol consumption may help in preventing the condition.
Read More: 7 Foods to Eat During Food Poisoning
Also, don’t forget to wash your hands before cooking or eating.
Summer can be a very taxing season for your body. But if you adopt a few measures you can easily fight off diseases and stay healthy.
Read More: 8 Best Foods to Eat During Summer To Keep Your Body Cool
Disclaimer: The above information has been prepared by a qualified medical professional and may not represent the practices followed universally. The suggestions listed in this article constitute relatively common advice given to patients and since every patient is different, you are advised to consult your physician, if in doubt, before acting upon this information. Lupin Limited has only facilitated the distribution of this information to you in the interest of patient education and welfare.
Should You Really Drink 8 Glasses Of Water Every Day? Myth Busted!
Drink eight glasses of water every day – You have probably read and heard this often to believe that it is the gospel of truth for keeping your body adequately hydrated. However, drinking eight glasses of water a day is nothing more than a popularly propagated health myth.
Certainly, keeping your body duly hydrated contributes to your overall health and well-being, as every cell in your body needs fluids for proper functioning. Even slight dehydration can interfere with the body’s ability to function well and manifest itself and form symptoms such as light-headedness, irritability, and headaches.
It is, perhaps, this fear of dehydration that has led self-proclaimed health experts and overzealous fitness trainers to put a number on the daily water requirement of the human body. Be that as it may, it is not possible to generalize the water requirement of the entire human race. The 8-glasses-a-day is but a generalized figure that may or may not meet, or even exceed your body’s requisite water intake.
The Genesis of the Myth
Health experts and doctors find themselves at a loss as to where the ‘eight glasses of water a day’ theory originated from! A 2002 study titled, ‘Drink eight glasses of water a day at least. Really? Is there scientific evidence for ”8×8”?’ tried to get to the bottom of this myth and traced its roots to a single paragraph in a report dated 1945 by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council in the US that states that adults should consume nearly 2.5 litres of water every day, which roughly equates to eight glasses of water.
However, the same report also noted that a large part of this water requirement is met by water content in the foods we consume and supplemented by beverages such as tea, coffee, milk, and even soft drinks. Somehow, the 2.5 litres figure stood out and gave way to the eight glasses of water a day theory.
Based on some studies I had read, your brain doesn’t function properly when you are dehydrated that might lead to cognitive issues. Elderly persons who are unable to fulfill their daily water intake might face difficulties in engaging in cognitive activities.
Dr. Siddharth Gupta, MD
The Health Benefits of Drinking Enough Water
More than how many glasses of water you must drink, it is important to drink enough water. Here are some of the health benefits you will derive:
- Drinking enough water promotes weight loss. It may help you burn more calories, reduce your appetite if consumed before a meal and lower the risk of long-term weight gain.
- Dehydration may impair the physical performance, increase fatigue and reduce motivation. Drink enough water for better physical performance.
- Staying hydrated will reduce the occurrence and severity of headaches.
- Water consumption helps in constipation relief and prevention.
- Adequate water intake may decrease the risk of kidney stones.
You might have noticed that on days when you drink less water, you might experience joint pain. This is because water acts as lubrication of joints. The synovial fluid present at the joint consists of 70-80% of water. Any less water in the body might reduce the production of this joint-lubricating liquid.
Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS
The Facts
If one looks at the World Health Organization’s recommendation for water intake, it becomes clear that the amount of water needed by the body varies according to different physiological and demographic factors such as age, sex, location, climate, activity levels, and more.
For the sake of aggregation, the average total water intake has been pegged at 2.7 litres for women and 3.7 litres for men, ‘total’ is the keyword here.
This means that you do not need to drink 2.7 litres or 3.7 litres of water straight from the faucet – Our food intake meets about 20 per cent of this value. Beverages such as fruit juices, soft drinks, milk, tea, and coffee also contribute toward a portion of the remaining 80 per cent of the body’s water requirement.
In addition to this, the body’s water requirement may vary depending on certain lifestyle factors:
- People who exercise or play sports tend to lose more body fluids through sweat, and therefore, need more water to replenish the body cells.
- People living in hot and humid areas require additional fluid intake to avoid dehydration. The same is true for those residing in high altitude regions.
- Certain medical conditions, or temporary illnesses such as vomiting, diarrhoea, and fever, also call for increased fluid intake, besides oral rehydration supplements.
- Expecting or lactating mothers need to consume more fluids than other women.
- Similarly, your body’s need for water also varies daily depending on your food intake. For example, if you eat watermelons, spinach, or cucumbers, all of which have heavy water content, on a certain day, the amount of water you need to drink on that day automatically goes down.
Your body gives you signs that you need to drink water long before dehydration sets in. The most practical rule of thumb is to keep a bottle of water handy and drink whenever you feel thirsty. Therefore, you may or may not drink eight glasses of water every day!
Also Read: Purple Cauliflower Benefits: A Nutritional Breakdown Backed by Science
Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.
Dehydration: All You Need To Know By Dr Prabhat Rajan Sinha
Summer has just begun, but the soaring temperatures are already setting new record highs regarding ‘hottest summer days.’ While we associate this season with holidays, outdoor activities like picnics, swimming or vacations, summer pose important health risks too. Dehydration is one of the most significant health concerns this season. Unbeknownst to many, dehydration can be dangerous if ignored or not appropriately treated. Also, dehydration is much more than just proper water intake.
To understand this condition better, Dr Prabhat Rajan Sinha, an internal medicine specialist at Aakash Healthcare, spoke to us at length on dehydration – its symptoms, cure and prevention.
What is dehydration?
The deficit of water and solutes in the body is called dehydration. The final symptoms of this, due to excess perforation as solutes are being lost from the body, causes dehydration. The signs and symptoms are as follows – the patient may feel very tired and lazy. They may experience low BP, tachycardia or palpitations or may panic, feel anxious, etc. On examination, the mucous membrane, i.e. the skin within the mouth becomes completely dry and the skin elasticity decreases. When the patient of dehydration suffers low BP, their pulse rate is very high as the heart tries hard to compensate for the loss of fluids. The heart beats faster to pump blood and fluid requirement to the entire body.
What are the causes of dehydration?
In the summer season, if you are exposed to extreme heat, it causes a loss of fluids from the body. If you are a patient of gastroenteritis or diarrhoea which are common ailments in summer and if the patient is already borderline dehydrated, i.e. recurring vomiting or low intake of water, these are the leading causes of dehydration in summer. There are other organic causes like a patient with diabetes who has very high sugar (500 or 600). High sugar causes frequent urination which leads to dehydration.
How much water should one consume?
This entirely depends on your body requirements. On average, one and a half litres of water is a must. Every day our body, when we inhale and exhale, i.e. humidification of breath, plus the insensible loss, i.e. water going out of your body which is 700 to 800 ml. We lose water through the urine as well as the faeces where our body secretes up to a litre of water.
The requirement of water also depends on the amount of activity one does. Activities that demand a high level of exertion, tend to lose more water. Ideally, you should be able to maintain a proper level of hydration in the body.
In summer, it is best to consume 2.5 litres to 3 litres of water. But people who have sedentary jobs, sitting in air-conditioned offices all day long, even 2 litres of water is good. An important marker to check your level of hydration is the frequency of urination. It is ideal that every 4-5 hours, you should urinate, i.e. urine should at least 50ml per hour. If the bladder capacity of a person is 250 ml to 300 ml, they should feel an urge to urinate every 5-6 hours.
What are the symptoms of dehydration?
A patient will feel lethargic, palpitations or even feel feverish. They may complain of dizziness, feel low in energy. As the level of dehydration increases, the patient will experience severe symptoms. They may go into shock as the BP will rapidly fall. The patient may collapse or have a syncopal attack (fainting).
How to treat dehydration?
On examining the patient, it is important to understand the level of dehydration – is it mild, is it moderate or is it severe? If a patient has a history of dehydration or a patient is brought in when unconscious and their BP is less than 90, then we need to start the treatment accordingly. They must be given fluids containing solutes. In the beginning, the solutes are pushed faster to get the BP above 90 systolic, i.e. an upper level of BP. This is very important because if the BP remains below 90, it means that not all organs in the body are getting perfusion correctly. If it is mild dehydration, you can go slow and push the fluid with solutes slower at the rate of 60-100 ml per hour. But if the patient is in shock, we must push one litre of fluid in an hour. Additionally, the symptoms of dehydration should be treated too. If the patient has recurring vomiting, we need to address that as well or stop diarrhoea.
If the patient is suffering from a high fever, it is important to cool the patient down and bring down the temperature.
How to prevent dehydration?
Don’t step out in extreme heat. Avoid high-exertion activities in the afternoons as the fluid loss will be high. Ensure proper fluid intake and have fluids with solutes. Eat fruits and vegetables that have more water content. Maintain a proper diet and do not skip meals. Indulge in seasonal fruits – watermelon. Drink at least eight glasses of water.
How to protect ourselves from extreme heat?
Wear protective clothes, stay adequately covered. Wear cotton clothes and ditch the nylons or other synthetic materials. Wear colours like white, sky blue or other lighter, pastel shades. They reflect off the heat and don’t attract heat, unlike the darker shades, primarily black.
Who is most at risk of dehydration?
Elderly. This is because as the age increases, the intake of fluids decreases. As we know, our body is made up of 33% water. But as we grow older, the water content in the body lowers and is replaced by fats in the case of the elderly and diabetic patients or other chronically ill patients. Even infants and small children are at risk.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
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