Quote:
Originally posted by NousDefionsDoc
I would venture to say that dehydration is much more common than hyponatremia, although Bragg and Benning probably have more than their fair share of the latter
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Agreed.
In my flield we consider the general population to be dehydrated overall. People wince when I suggest to them they need to drink 6-8 large glasses of water a day. They prefer to spend money on mountian dew, jolt cola, and 44oz big gulps full of soda.
Dehydration can cause lethargy, difficulty concentrating, confusion, even coma and death. For the average individual not in crisis this is manifested by decreased performance across the board. Students should take note.
Profound hyponatremia can be fatal as previously stated. S/sx are caused by swelling of neurons as a result of decreased osmolality of extracelular fluid causing a fluid shift into the cell.
This can be manifested by CNS S/sx ie malaise, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, HA, confusion, lethargy, seizures, and coma. Much the same as dehydration.
For the provider in the field it is imprortant to take assessment, recent Hx to determine which way to go and then tx according to protocols and training-
ccrn