Contents:
- Medical Video: Fluid and Electrolytes - Introduction
- What is hypervolemia?
- The cause of hypervolemia is the underlying condition
- Symptoms and effects of hypervolemia
- What can be done?
Medical Video: Fluid and Electrolytes - Introduction
The human body consists of at least 60% water. Water is important for the body to help carry out every function properly in order to maintain your health. However, if the body has excess fluid volume it will turn very dangerous. This condition is known as hypervolemia. Hypervolaemia is a variety of symptoms caused by excess volume of water in the body, which may be caused by certain health problems so that the body cannot regulate water storage in the body.
What is hypervolemia?
Hypervolaemia is a medical term that describes the condition when the body stores too much excess fluid volume. Excess fluid can accumulate outside the body's cells or in the space between cells in certain tissues. Hypervolaemia also describes the condition of excess fluid in the bloodstream.
Under normal circumstances, body fluid levels are controlled by the kidneys. When the kidneys detect your body has stored a lot of fluid, the kidneys will help remove it through urine. Vice versa. If the kidneys detect signs of your body lacking fluids, the kidneys will put pressure on urine production.
In people who experience hypervolemia, the balance of how this works is disrupted so that the body cannot release excess fluid. If it occurs continuously, the water deposits will fill the cavities and tissues and blood flow.
The cause of hypervolemic trigger imbalances can be triggered by the buildup of sodium salt in the body. The high sodium salt causes retention, when the body stores more water to balance the salt levels.
The cause of hypervolemia is the underlying condition
Hypervolaemia itself is not a disease, but tends to be a sign or symptom often found in people who experience some of the following conditions:
- Congestive heart failure - Hypervolaemia is a common symptom in people with heart failure and is very difficult to treat even with treatment. Congestive heart failure causes the heart to not be able to pump blood throughout the body, resulting in a decrease in kidney function to remove excess fluid.
- Kidney failure - As the main organ with the task of regulating water levels, kidney damage will automatically have an impact on the disruption of fluid balance in the body. This condition can also cause gastrointestinal disorders, obstacles to the recovery process of the wound, and heart failure.
- Liver cirrhosis (liver) is an organ that plays a role in the storage and use of nutrients and filters toxins. Disorders of the liver cause fluid retention around the abdomen and various parts of the body.
- Intravenous use (infusion) - Installation of infusion aims to prevent dehydration. However, intravenous fluids containing water and salt will directly enter the bloodstream and trigger hypervolemia. Hypervolemic conditions associated with intravenous fluids are often found in postoperative patients. Hypervolaemia associated with intravenous use can increase the risk of death.
- Hormonal factors - fluctuations in hormones during pregnancy and PMS can cause the body to store more fluids. This can cause nausea and discomfort.
- Medications - Several types of drugs are known to be associated with mild hypervolemia. For example birth control pills, hormone therapy, antidepressant drugs, hypertension drugs, and NSAID pain medications.
- Foods high in salt - Consumption of high salt or more than 2300 mg / day is known to be associated with hypervolemic conditions, but does not cause significant symptoms. Except if it occurs in children, the elderly, and those with health problems at risk of hypervolemia.
Symptoms and effects of hypervolemia
In general, hypervolemia can cause:
- Fast weight gain.
- Swelling of the arms and legs.
- Swelling around the abdominal area especially in patients with liver disease.
- Shortness of breath due to too much fluid in the lung tissue.
Hypervolaemia is also at risk for more serious complications such as:
- Swelling of tissue in the heart.
- Heart failure.
- Recovery of wounds that are too long.
- Network damage.
- Decreased bowel movements.
What can be done?
Hypervolaemia rarely causes serious problems in healthy individuals who do not have certain risk factors. However, hypervolaemia in someone at risk for heart problems, kidney problems, and liver damage needs to be addressed immediately.
Treatment of hypervolemia is with diuretic drugs to increase the amount of urine released. But the use needs to be under the supervision of a doctor, especially for someone who has a heart problem.
To avoid hypervolemia, a person with a history of heart and kidney needs to apply a low-salt diet to limit salt levels in the body. Likewise with restrictions on water consumption in patients with a history of congestive heart failure.
