Body Water - Fluid Loss

Fluid Loss

Volume contraction is a decrease in body fluid volume, with or without a concomitant loss of osmolytes. The loss of the body water component of body fluid is specifically termed dehydration.

Na+ loss approximately correlates with fluid loss from extracellular fluid (ECF), since Na+ has a much higher concentration in ECF than intracellular fluid (ICF). In contrast, K+ has a much higher concentration in ICF than ECF, and therefore its loss rather correlates with fluid loss from ICF, since K+ loss from ECF causes the K+ in ICF to diffuse out of the cells, dragging water with it by osmosis.

Read more about this topic:  Body Water

Famous quotes containing the words fluid and/or loss:

    Eye, gazelle, delicate wanderer,
    Drinker of horizon’s fluid line;
    Ear that suspends on a chord
    The spirit drinking timelessness;
    Touch, love, all senses;
    Stephen Spender (1909–1995)

    There is no greater wealth than Virtue,
    and no greater loss than to forget it.
    Tiruvalluvar (c. 5th century A.D.)