Table of contents:
- Identify dehydration and its causes
- What happens to the body when dehydrated
- Signs and symptoms of dehydration
- How to prevent the dangers of dehydration
Three years ago there was news, a runner on the show half-marathon collapsed in the middle of the event. After being examined, it turned out that this 45-year-old man was dehydrated due to lack of drinking while running in the hot sun. Not only in this case, there have been many reports of cases of people dying or collapsing due to serious dehydration. Therefore, the dangers of dehydration cannot be underestimated.
Identify dehydration and its causes
Dehydration is a condition in which the body's fluid balance becomes negative, that is, more fluid is flowing out than is getting in. This causes you to become dehydrated and unable to carry out normal body functions. If you don't replace lost fluids immediately, you will fall into a state of dehydration. This condition will be very dangerous, especially in young children and the elderly (elderly).
Dehydration can be caused by many things. In children, dehydration is usually caused by severe diarrhea and vomiting. Meanwhile, basically the elderly have a smaller amount of fluids so that they are more susceptible to dehydration.
Excessive sweating during exercise can also lead to dehydration. When coupled with hot and humid environmental conditions, it will increase the amount of fluid lost.
Certain diseases can also cause dehydration conditions such as diabetes mellitus, minor illnesses such as lung infections, and burns.
What happens to the body when dehydrated
Negative fluid balance that causes dehydration occurs due to lack of fluid intake, increased discharge (either due to diarrhea, sweat, or urine), and the movement of fluids in the body (fluid collection in the abdominal cavity or fluid buildup in the pleura, lung cavity). Decreased total body fluids (total body water) causes a decrease in the volume of fluid in the body's cells and in the blood vessels.
Symptoms of the dangers of dehydration will appear when the amount of fluid in the blood vessels decreases, causing hypovolemic shock and leading to organ failure and death. When there is shock, blood flow to the organs is reduced so that the body's cells lack the oxygen and nutrients needed. As a result, the body's organs die.
The kidneys and brain are examples of organs that most often experience disorders when a person is severely dehydrated.
Dehydration can lead to acute kidney failure which, if not treated quickly, can cause severe kidney damage and lead to chronic kidney failure which requires weekly dialysis.
When dehydration causes damage to the brain, the patient experiences loss of consciousness and permanent brain damage. This is what happened to the 45 year old runner who was mentioned earlier. Of all the parts of the brain, leaving only the brain stem that can still work properly.
In addition, electrolyte balance can be disturbed when dehydration occurs. There can be a deficiency or even an excess of electrolytes, depending on the cause of dehydration. This electrolyte balance disorder can cause nervous disorders such as seizures.
Signs and symptoms of dehydration
People who are dehydrated will usually feel heavy thirst, dry mouth, urinate less frequently and the color of the urine is dark brown and dark, as well as a feeling of extreme weakness and dizziness.
In severe conditions it can cause the patient to experience disorientation, aka dazed, sunken eyes, dry skin, fever, decreased blood pressure, increased pulse rate, and decreased consciousness.
How to prevent the dangers of dehydration
Prevention is the most important thing for dehydration. Pay attention to the following precautions, yes.
- By drinking and eating foods that contain lots of water such as fruits and vegetables should be enough to prevent dehydration in most people.
- For people doing activities in very hot weather or playing sports, they should be more careful. Always remember to restore lost fluids by drinking. Always provide sufficient drinking water.
- For children and the elderly, because they are at very risk of becoming dehydrated, it is important to pay close attention to whether their fluid intake is sufficient or not.
