DEHYDRATION VERSUS VOLUME DEPLETION
Dehydration and volume depletion are terms often used synonymously. But they describe different syndromes with differing symptoms and management. Extracellular volume depletion is the result of a net loss of total body sodium with a reduction in intravascular volume. Major causes of volume depletion include blood loss, diarrhea, and vomiting;
people experience light-headedness and orthostatic hypotension. In nonemergency situations, such as diarrhea with a bacterial cause, fluids containing some sodium, such as ginger ale and clear broths, are best used for fluid replacement. Emergency fluid resuscitation in dehydration and volume depletion, which is beyond the scope of this article, differs significantly in terms of type of fluid used and the timing of the treatment. For more information, see “Language Guiding Therapy: The Case of Dehydration Versus Volume Depletion,” by Marge and colleagues, in the November 1, 1997, issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.