Water is essential to life; people, animals and plants. Without water hydration, all things living will die. Although a person can go three weeks without food, we can survive three days without the intake of fluid. .
In Jahangir Moini's book, "Focus on Pharmacology: Essentials for Health Professionals," Chapter 24, "Drugs Used to Treat Fluid and Electrolyte Imbalances," we're given a better understanding of how water is excreted (removed)from our body. The urinary system is what helps excrete extra fluids and toxins from our bodies. The urinary system consists of the kidney, ureter, urinary bladder and urethra. Our body excretes extra fluids in order to promote homeostasis and keep our bodies balanced. The fluid our body excretes consists of urea, creatine and uric acid. Most people don't know if they are dehydrated and the body gives us little hints as an indication. For instance, our urine becomes very yellow with a strong odor, skin dryness and thirst. Dehydration affects the body by making it work harder to excrete toxins, some symptoms include headaches, dry skin, thirst and dizziness. .
Medications also affect the retention and excretions of fluids in our bodies. .
Electrolytes are also important for the body, they are minerals in your blood, urine and fluids. When you exercise or sweat you are losing electrolytes. The way to replace them in by drinking Gatorade or pedialyte and replenish your body fluids. Some patient suffer from edema which is fluid retention and can cause swelling. The treatment for edema would be diuretics to remove the extra fluids in your body. Diuretics make you urinate constantly because it causes your body to excrete the fluid. Potassium is combined with diuretics to treat hypertension and heart failure. Older people that are sick and some medications cause the body to retain fluid. One of the adverse effects of potassium-sparing diuretics is hyperkalemia and can be life threatening.
