- Drowsy with warm, turgor and dry skin and mucous membrane: The skin also has to be checked in order to detect the presence of sweat as well as the degree of elasticity. With dehydration, the skin loses water and becomes less elastic.
- High pulse rate: A person admitting dehydration has an increased pulse rate and the blood pressure drops due to fluid depletion.
- Abnormality in degrees of electrolytes: The admitting chemistries indicate abnormality in the electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and chloride. The blood tests are also carried out in order to assess the abnormalities in electrolytes such as the levels of chloride, potassium and sodium that are linked to dehydration.
- High fever: The temperature should be assessed using the level of fever. This is carried out through rectal thermometer in order to know the temperature of the body and know whether the patient is warm.
- Extreme diarrhea: This is considered as the main gist of dehydration. It is through diarrhea that the patient loses many fluids in the body hence dehydrating the body.
- Nausea: This is because the brain and other crucial organs receive little blood hence causing dizziness.
- High creatinine and glucose concentration: Kidney tests are also carried out such as creatinine and BUN and may be elevated. This will result in understanding the severity of dehydration.
- Dry mouth: This is because of the difficulty in the production of saliva.
- High concentration of Urea: Urinalysis may also be ordered in order to determine the concentration of urine; in this case, high concentration of urine indicated the high degree of patient’s dehydration (Starlin, 2005). Because of lack of fluids in the body, production of urine decreases and the little produced are very concentrated.
People attaché limited attention to the availability and effects of low grade fever. In the 21st century, many people are seeking medical attention in the treatment of this prolonged fever. Low grade fever is not very dangerous and it has the effect of increasing pulse rate and decreasing stamina. Precautions should, however be taken to prevent seizure and dehydration. Low grade fevers range from 100-101 F. The dangerous temperatures are such high grade fevers ranging from 104-107 F (Lippincott & Wilkin, 2008).
Fever is often occasioned when the immune response of the body is triggered by fever producing substance or pyrogens. Pyrogens often come from a source that is outside the body; they can in turn stimulate the production of other pyrogens within the body. This will result in the shivering of the body, constricting of the blood vessels and the body gets under the covers as an attempt to reach new temperatures that are higher than baseline temperatures. The body can also produce other pyrogens in its response to any form of inflammation; this is called cytokines or endogenous pyrogens (Lippincott & Wilkin, 2008).
Low grade fever can also be caused by the presence of infections in the body. The presence of flu, bacterial, common cold, lung, ear and parasitic infections are associated with the presence of low grade fever in the body. The temperature of the body can be elevated by physical actions, and environmental factors like wearing heavy clothes and high ambient temperature. Low grade fever can also result after immunization, as a symptom of another infection, during teething, as an immune or inflammatory condition. Low grade fever can also take place as a side effect of other medical conditions (Lippincott & Wilkin, 2008).
References
Lippincott, W & Wilkins, M. (2008). Nursing. Ambler, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Starlin, R. (2005). The Washington manual infectious diseases subspecialty consult. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
