Dehydration (dehydration) is a pathological condition associated with a decrease in the amount of water in it below the physiological norm.
The role of water in the human body
About 50 -70% of the mass of the human body is water. It is found both in the cells of the body and outside the cells (for example, water of the blood plasma).
Water performs a number of important functions, without which the normal functioning of the body is impossible. Here are just a few of them:
- water is the main solvent (most of the chemical reactions associated with the transformation of various biomolecules take place in the aqueous medium);
- water serves as a universal coolant (cools active organs, coming to them with blood);
- water is involved in maintaining the acid-base balance in the blood.
Water enters the body with food and drink. It is excreted through the skin, lungs and gastrointestinal tract - with urine, then, with breathing, with a stool.
Causes of dehydration
Most often, dehydration develops due to the following factors:
- diarrhea;
- persistent vomiting;
- increased urine formation (polyuria);
- increased body temperature;
- profuse sweating;
- violation of drinking regimen as a result of diseases (water starvation);
- heatstroke;
- acute blood loss, etc.
The risk of dehydration increases with chronic diseases, for example, diabetes, kidney disease, malfunctioning of the adrenal glands.
What is dangerous for the dehydration of the body?
The most dangerous for elderly people and children, however, in middle-aged people, dehydration can lead to the development of irreversible pathological processes in the body.
Lack of water, first of all, affects the volume of blood. The smaller it is, the greater the density of blood, which leads to a slowing of the speed of its current. Accordingly, the delivery of nutrients to cells and the removal of gases and other products of vital activity from the body is also hampered.
Dehydration of the body, causing a decrease in body weight by 10 - 20% is life-threatening. Loss of water in an initially healthy person leads to death after 7-10 days, and in conditions of high temperature and dry air - after 3 - 5 days.
Signs and symptoms of dehydration of the human body
The first signs of mild dehydration are:
- a feeling of dryness in the mouth ;
- increased saliva viscosity;
- a feeling of fatigue, drowsiness;
- thirst;
- loss of appetite;
- decrease in urine production.
In the subsequent progression of the pathological process, a person feels dryness and flabbiness of the skin, dizziness, headache. Constipation develops, the urine acquires a dark yellow color or does not stand out at all.
Symptoms that indicate the formation of chronic dehydration of the body:
- heartburn,
- muscle and joint pain;
- migraine;
- colitis.
Severe dehydration, threatening human life and requiring urgent medical care is expressed by such manifestations:
- strong thirst;
- shortness of breath ;
- irritability;
- dry skin and mucous membranes;
- absence of perspiration;
- absence of urine;
- wrinkling of the skin;
- sinking of the eyes;
- lowering blood pressure;
- increased heart rate;
- absence of tearing;
- increased body temperature;
- fainting;
- confusion, delirium.
It should be borne in mind that the above symptoms are manifested when dehydrated not only, but in a complex manner. Therefore, in the presence of only one - two of these signs can not be argued that this is dehydration. If you suspect a dehydration, you should immediately seek medical help.