hormonal and metabolic disorders
Dehydration
Introduction
Dehydration is a deficiency of water in the body. Vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating, burns, kidney failure, and use of diuretics may cause dehydration. People feel thirsty, and as dehydration worsens, they may sweat less and excrete less urine. If dehydration is severe, people may be confused or feel light-headed. Treatment is restoring lost water and mineral salts (such as sodium and potassium) that are dissolved in the blood (electrolytes), usually by drinking but sometimes with intravenous fluids. (See also About Body Water .) Dehydration occurs when the body loses more water than it takes in. Nausea and Vomiting in Adults , Dehydration is particularly common among older people because their thirst center may not function as well as that in younger people. Therefore, some older people may not recognize that they are becoming dehydrated. Certain disorders such as Diabetes Mellitus (DM) , Dehydration in Children is also common because the amount of fluid lost during diarrhea or vomiting may represent a larger proportion of their body fluids than in older children and adults. 