which solution if dehydration because of diarrhea?

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this is hypothetical

which IV solution would be used to treat dehydration caused by diarrhea?

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Specializes in Adult and Pediatric Vascular Access, Paramedic.

Hi,

It depends. If the person is hypokalemic (low potassium), which can be depleted with significant diarreah they may recieve Normal saline with 20-40 mEq of Potassium (k) or another fluid with 20-40 meq of K.

If their potassium is normal or before the level is known they more than likely would receive LR or NS.

Swtooth

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thanks

actually this was a multiple choice test question

so I thought of using Lactated Ringer's

{there was no information given about the potassium, so using a solution with added potassium was not any of the choices}

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Specializes in SICU.

Was one of the solutions D5.45NS or just .45NS? You don't give potassium until they start urinating.

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Was one of the solutions D5.45NS or just .45NS? You don't give potassium until they start urinating.

this was a multiple choice question

and I believe that other choices included D5 perhaps with .45 NS (can't remember the other choice)

Is D5 in.45 NS the solution of choice for dehydration caused by diarrhea?

I do not know the answer and it is not in my textbook.

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Specializes in SICU.

D5.45NS is used for children. I am not sure about adults with dehydration. D5 gives some glucose for energy, with severe dehydration they probably are not eating. 0.45NS is hypotonic and will put fluid back into the cells. With dehydration the sodium levels can be high.

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Specializes in Adult and Pediatric Vascular Access, Paramedic.

I presently work in an ER and even for children the INITIAL fluid is NS or LR because you need to fill the vasculature first. If they are to be admitted we may switch adults to a fluid with potassium if they need it, and this is before they even urinate providing there is no reason to beleive renal failure exists given their lab values.

Swtooth EMT-P, RN

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sounds like there are several possibilities,

so which would be the first choice?

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Specializes in SICU.

Go with swtooth. Better understanding than I. Please let us know what your teacher marks as correct and why.

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Go with swtooth. Better understanding than I. Please let us know what your teacher marks as correct and why.

even with the chapter on fluid and electolytes, isotonic, hypotonic, and hypertonic solutions - I am not sure which is most appropriate to give for dehydration because of diarrhea (probably not hypertonic).

Teacher/facilitator is away until the fall, so I won't be able to find out until then. It was a computer exam, so the computer does the marking, and I don't know if I answered correctly or not.

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