Danger of severe diarrhea, can cause complications of death

Diarrhea is a common digestive disorder in the world, including in Indonesia, where people actually have a "hobby" of snacking carelessly on the side of the road. On average, diarrhea symptoms resolve on their own in 2-3 days with simple home remedies. However, you should not take this digestive problem lightly. Just like diseases in general, diarrhea can also increase the risk of dangerous complications for health.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that diarrhea complications that are fatal are most at risk for infants, malnourished children, people with poor immune systems, and people living with HIV.

Indeed, what are the possible complications of severe diarrhea? Read the following review.

Risk of health complications due to diarrhea

According to the Ministry of Health's report released in the bulletin Diarrhea Situation in Indonesia, diarrhea is the 3rd most common infectious disease causing death after TB (tuberculosis) and pneumonia at all ages. However, in infants and toddlers, diarrhea still ranks first as an infectious disease that causes the most deaths compared to other infectious diseases.

The report above notes that in 2008 there were 238 deaths due to complications of diarrhea out of a total of 8,133 people affected by this digestive disorder. Then, recorded 73 cases of death in 2010. Still based on the data above, the trend of the number of deaths due to diarrhea continued to increase in 2015 even though the total number of sufferers actually decreased.

So, what is the cause? The causes of diarrhea itself are very diverse. However, in Indonesia, the most common cause is infection with germs (viruses, fungal bacteria, parasites) that attack digestion. Infections that cause diarrhea in Indonesia are closely related to the quality of sanitation, access to clean water, and healthy living habits in the community.

1. Dehydration

Symptoms of diarrhea such as continuous bowel movements, sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting make fluid in the body decrease. If the amount does not meet the body's needs, dehydration can occur.

Body fluids are not only water, but also electrolytes. This fluid supports cells and organs in the body to work optimally. If there is not enough body fluids, the body's performance system will be disrupted. In severe cases, dehydration due to severe diarrhea that is untreated or not treated properly can cause death.

The dangers of dehydration due to severe diarrhea leading to death may lead to the following conditions:

Impaired kidney function and kidney disease
Muscle damage and spasms
Swelling of the brain (cerebral edema)
Shock due to low blood pressure

So that diarrhea does not cause the danger of complications like this, the patient should replace lost body fluids as soon as possible.

In addition, recognize the signs of complications of severe diarrhea so that you no longer delay doctor care, as reported by the Mayo Clinic page.

Signs of dehydration due to severe diarrhea in adults

Thirst that keeps on appearing, even though you've been drinking
Dry mouth and skin
Little yellow-brown urine (oliguria) or no urination at all (anuria)
Dizziness and weakness

Signs of dehydration due to severe diarrhea in infants and children

The baby has not urinated in 3 hours or more
Mouth and tongue dry
Fever above 39 ° Celsius
The baby becomes fussy, but cries without tears
The child becomes unresponsive and looks weak '
The appearance of the eyes to be sunken

2. Septicemia

Bacterial infection Clostridium difficileis one of the causes of severe diarrhea which in certain cases can lead to septicemia.

Septicemia is a condition in which a person has blood poisoning due to the entry of many bacteria into the bloodstream. In fact, C. difficile bacteria does not directly cause diarrhea. These bacteria first cause inflammation of the colon, which can cause severe diarrhea.

This dangerous complication of diarrhea occurs when the body tries to fight off a bacterial infection. The risk is great for the elderly or people with weakened immune systems.

This diarrhea complication is said to be very dangerous when it progresses to sepsis, where the bacteria have invaded all organs of the body. Bacteria will cause inflammation, make blood clot, and block oxygen from reaching certain organs. As a result, organs malfunction and can cause death.

Diarrhea that causes this dangerous complication usually shows signs, such as:

Weakness and no appetite
Continue to have watery stools accompanied by nausea and vomiting
Fever and very sensitive to light
Heart beat faster
Coma

3. Malnutrition

Diarrhea can also cause complications in the form of malnutrition (malnutrition), especially in infants and children. The risk is great if the diarrhea that occurs is chronic, aka occurs continuously. Malnutrition refers to a person's body not receiving adequate nutrition.

This diarrhea complication occurs due to diarrhea that continues to vomit and pass stool, but not enough to eat because of lack of appetite or nausea.

This diarrhea complication rarely causes death, but it can have an impact on the disruption of children's growth and difficulty in carrying out activities like normal people.

Signs of malnutrition from this severe diarrhea include:

Decreased appetite and decreased body weight
Weak and tired all the time
Frequent aches and wounds are difficult to heal and it is difficult to focus on

Tips for preventing complications of diarrhea

Although dangerous, fortunately the complications of diarrhea are preventable. Preventive measures can be taken with home care as well as with doctor's medication. To be clearer, follow the steps to prevent complications of diarrhea, such as:

Sufficient lost body fluids

Lost body fluids can be replaced by increasing fluid intake. You can multiply drinking water, eat food with soup, or drink ORS solution to prevent complications of diarrhea.

If diarrhea occurs in an infant, do not stop breastfeeding or formula feeding —if the cause of diarrhea is not lactose intolerance. This is a first aid measure when a person has diarrhea.

Eat the right nutritious foods

Serve soft textured foods, perfectly cooked, and of course don't add a lot of spices, for example pepper, salt, chili, or coconut milk.

Good food choices for diarrhea are porridge, rice porridge, clear chicken soup with a mixture of potatoes and carrots, or bread. Eating the right foods makes it easier for the intestines to digest food so that the body recovers faster and avoids the complications of diarrhea.

see a doctor

Diarrhea complications can be avoided with the care of a doctor. This is closely related to your readiness to immediately consult a doctor if worrying symptoms appear that are at risk of complications of diarrhea.

Before it becomes a complication, identify the signs and symptoms of diarrhea that should be treated by a doctor, such as:

Diarrhea causes very disturbing symptoms
Diarrhea occurs for more than 2 days and does not improve even after being treated with home care
Bloody stool and fever