Tratamiento de la deshidratación diarreica mediante el suministro de líquidos por vía endovenosa, con especial referencia a la situación en la América Latina / Intravenous fluid therapy of diarreheal dehidaration with special reference to Latin America

ABSTRACT

1) The choice of a solution for intravenous rehydration is in many clinics based on clinical estimates of the patient's osmotic disturbance and the severity of acidosis. Even when biochemical measurements are possible, however -and these correlate poorly with the clinical assumptions- the relevance of this knowledge to appropriate therapy is not known. Recommended solutions vary widely, from alkaline multielectrolyte mixtures with a concentration of 300 mOsm/L ("isotonic") or even higher to one-third or one-half isotonic solutions of sodium chloride. The simpler, less concentrated solutions are theoretically preferable in that they provide more "free water". They are being used with good results in both "hypertonic" and "hypotonic" dehydration by an increasing number of clinics