Are you dehydrated? Let's learn exactly about hypovolemia!

Have you ever felt like you were going to faint or dizzy? Or maybe after a major accident, or after days of severe vomiting or diarrhea, we say that you "lost all your fluids." At times like these, the amount of fluid in your body, especially your blood, can decrease significantly. This is the condition we are going to talk about today, called hypovolemia. This is not a simple matter, and if you don't pay attention, it can be life-threatening. So, let's talk about this in detail.

What is Hypovolemia?

Simply put, hypovolemia is when your body doesn't have enough fluid volume, mainly blood, to keep your circulatory system moving properly. "Fluid" can include not just water, but also plasma, an important part of your blood, and lymphatic fluid. Lymph is a special fluid filled with white blood cells that helps remove toxins and waste from the body.

Just think, about 50% to 60% of our body weight is fluid. So in this state of hypovolemia, more than 15% of the total fluid volume in your body is reduced. This is a condition that definitely requires immediate medical attention. Because if not treated, there is a high chance of damage to our vital organs, shock, or even death.

So what is hypovolemic shock? Is it dangerous?

Yes, Hypovolemic Shock is the most severe and dangerous form of Hypovolemia. This is a condition that requires emergency medical treatment. What happens here is that the heart is unable to pump blood throughout the body due to excessive fluid or blood loss. Think of it like a motor without water. Due to this Hypovolemic Shock, the body's organs can start to fail one by one.

Hypovolemic shock usually occurs when a person loses more than 20% of their body's fluid at once. This can be caused by serious injuries (major cuts, burns), internal bleeding, or days of severe vomiting or diarrhea.

Who is more likely to develop hypovolemia? Is it a common condition?

In fact, anyone can develop this condition called hypovolemia. Although there are no exact statistics on how common it is, it is more common in people with sudden illnesses, those who have suffered serious accidents, and critically ill patients in intensive care units.

How does hypovolemia affect our body?

For every organ in our body to function properly, it needs to receive the right amount of fluid, which is blood. It's like the flowers in the garden. When there is no rain, the flowers wither without water, right? In the same way, our bodies can "wither" when they lack fluid. If a doctor determines that you have hypovolemia, he or she will give you extra fluids. Just like we water plants with a bucket of water during the rainy season, the body is replenishing the lost fluid.

What are the symptoms of Hypovolemia?

These symptoms can vary from person to person, and may also vary in intensity depending on the severity of the condition. Common symptoms include:

• Feeling dizzy when standing.
• Dry skin and mouth.
• Feeling tired or lifeless.
• Muscle cramps.
• Not urinating, or the amount of urine that is passed decreases and becomes dark in color.

Now let's look at the symptoms of a severe, life-threatening condition like Hypovolemic Shock:

• Confusion.
• Difficulty breathing or rapid breathing.
• Excessive sweating.
• Losing consciousness.
• Low blood pressure.
• Low body temperature.
• Pale skin color or sometimes a bluish tinge to the lips and skin (cyanosis).

If you experience these symptoms, especially after an accident, accompanied by severe vomiting/diarrhea, be sure to go to a hospital emergency room immediately.

Why does hypovolemia occur? What are the causes?

The main cause of hypovolemia is loss of fluid or blood from the body. There are several ways this can happen:

• Injury: Cuts, burns, and other injuries to the body's surface.
• Illnesses: Conditions with symptoms such as persistent vomiting and diarrhea (e.g., severe stomach upset, some viral fevers).
• Internal bleeding: Bleeding inside the body for some reason. This can be dangerous because it is not visible from the outside.
• Dehydration or Malnutrition: Blood volume decreases due to not getting enough water and salts (electrolytes) into the body.
• Excessive sweating: During strenuous exercise, or if you have a condition that causes excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis).

How do you detect hypovolemia?

When you see a doctor, he or she will first ask you about your medical history. Then, they will perform a physical exam and may order several tests to check your fluid and sodium levels. Low sodium levels are also a sign of hypovolemia. If these tests confirm that you have hypovolemia, the doctor will then try to find out the exact cause of your low fluid levels. This is because finding the cause will help you start treatment quickly.

What tests are being done for this?

The doctor may perform several tests to confirm this condition:

• Skin and mucous membrane examination: During a physical examination, the doctor will check your skin, inside your mouth, tongue, and nose for dryness. Dryness is a symptom of this disease.
• Pulse rate, body temperature, and blood pressure: These will be measured while you are sitting and standing to see if there is a difference. They will also check for symptoms such as dizziness when you change positions.
• Blood or urine tests to check kidney function.
• Imaging tests such as an ultrasound or echocardiogram.

How is hypovolemia treated?

Starting treatment early is the best way to recover from this condition. The main goal of treatment is to restore the body's lost fluid volume. This is called fluid resuscitation. This involves giving fluids through a vein (IV - intravenous). The type of fluid you are given may vary depending on what kind of fluid your body needs:

• Blood transfusion: Blood from a donor is given to replace the blood lost from your body.
• Crystalloid solutions: These are solutions made by adding salt (saline), sugar (dextrose), or sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, and lactated Ringer's solution.
• Colloids: These contain large particles. These remain inside the blood vessels. Examples include albumin and hetastarch.

In addition to giving you this fluid, your doctor will also treat the cause of your hypovolemia. This includes:

• If there is an infection or illness, treat it.
• If there is a wound, it is to heal it.
• Providing nutrients (such as sodium or electrolytes) that the body is lacking.

How long does it take to recover after treatment?

Hypovolemia lasts only until the body's fluid levels are replenished. This can take a few days to a few weeks. After treatment begins, fluids are given gradually. Do not give large amounts at once. You may initially receive more IV fluids, then reduce the amount as your fluid levels approach 100%, and then stop treatment when your fluid levels stabilize and your symptoms go away.

How to reduce the risk of hypovolemia?

Although hypovolemia sometimes occurs due to external factors beyond our control, there are several things we can do to reduce the risk:

• If you develop an infection, injury, or illness, get it treated as soon as possible.
• Avoid activities that cause excessive sweating as much as possible. If you do, drink plenty of water in between.
• Always drink plenty of water and stay hydrated.
• Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect yourself from cuts and burns (e.g. at work, while doing household chores).

What happens if you develop hypovolemia? What is the outlook?

The outcome for everyone with this condition is not the same. It depends on whether the cause of the loss of blood or fluid can be stopped and treated properly. However, if the condition is diagnosed and treated early, it can usually be cured. If left untreated or treated too late, it can be life-threatening, causing permanent organ damage, or even death.

After treatment is started to restore the lost fluid levels in the body, the symptoms gradually decrease and disappear completely when the body's fluid levels return to normal.

How do I take care of myself? (Self-care)

Once you know you have hypovolemia, there are several things you can do to take care of yourself:

• Rest well.
• Stay away from strenuous work for a while.
• Always drink plenty of water and avoid dehydration.
• Eat a balanced, nutritious diet.

When do you need to go to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) ?

If you have symptoms of hypovolemia, especially if they occur after any of the following events, go to a hospital emergency room immediately:

• After an accident, such as a burn, cut, or other injury.
• After an illness like a severe stomach ache, with persistent vomiting or diarrhea.
• After a day of not being able to eat or drink.
• After an activity or event that causes more sweating than normal.

What questions should I ask the doctor?

When you go to see a doctor, it's a good idea to ask these questions:

• How long will I have to receive IV fluids (saline)?
• What is causing my blood loss?
• When can I resume my normal activities after treatment?
• How can I keep myself from getting dehydrated after treatment?

What is the difference between Hypovolemia and Hypervolemia?

Hypovolemia and hypervolemia are both conditions that refer to the amount of fluid or blood in your body. The word "hypo" means "under" or "less." "hyper" means "over" or "more." So, if you have hypovolemia, you don't have enough fluid in your body. If you have hypervolemia, you have too much fluid in your body.

Finally, things to remember

Loss of blood or fluid from the body is a very serious condition that requires immediate treatment. If you have recently been in an accident or have an illness and are experiencing symptoms of hypovolemia, go to the emergency room immediately.

If you have very mild symptoms, see your doctor and talk about ways to replenish your body's lost fluids. Drinking plenty of fluids and getting plenty of rest can help manage this condition. If you are diagnosed with this condition, it may temporarily interfere with your normal activities, but with treatment for hypovolemia, you can get back to normal as your body's fluids return to normal.

` Hypovolemia, Hypovolemia, Dehydration, Decreased blood volume, Hypovolemic shock, Hypovolemic Shock, Emergency treatment