Study highlights the risks of dehydration
With long, hot summer days ahead, the importance of staying well-hydrated can’t be overstated, especially among older people more prone to dehydration, says amassey University health researcher.
Professor Carol Wham, from the school of sport, exercise and nutrition, is concerned about dehydration among older inpatients in hospital care.
The findings of a trial study she has just published revealed more than 40 per cent of older patients under district health board care were either dehydrated or had impending dehydration.
‘‘Dehydration is a problem in older adults because it is associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality, and longer length of stay in hospital,’’ Wham said.
‘‘It is under-recognised, under-treated and poorly prevented.’’
She said older adults were especially susceptible to dehydration due to age-related physiological and functional decline, impaired thirst perception and a decline in kidney function.
Restricted mobility and incontinence problems can also lead to older people drinking less to avoid trips to the toilet.
The findings are published in the Australasian Journal on Ageing.
The study focused on 89 hospitalised older adults with a mean age of 82 years, and found 16 per cent were dehydrated and a further 27 per cent had impending dehydration.
Wham and her research team assessed total fluid intake from food and drink among adults 65 and older in hospital, rehabilitation and medical settings.
They assessed hydration using plasma osmolality – which measures the body’s electrolyte-water balance in the blood – of the participants, as well as fluid intake from foods and drink within 24 hours.
Results showed total fluid intake was low, compared with recommendations for adults over 70.
The median was two litres a day for men and 1.6 litres a day for women compared with the recommended 3.4 litres and 2.6 litres, respectively. ‘‘Only 8 per cent of participants met the recommendations for total fluid intake, while 15 per cent did for fluid intake from all beverages,’’ Wham said. Total fluid intake was mostly from beverages, 82 per cent, with 18 per cent from foods such as yoghurt, soup, icecream and jelly.
Beverages included water, 43 per cent; hot drinks such as tea and coffee, 42 per cent; and cold drinks, 15 per cent.
Study participants who struggled to open lids on hospital-supplied beverages, particularly foil lids on milk and juice bottles, had a significantly lower total fluid intake.
Wham said offering drinks often, especially with medications, was likely to increase fluid intake as drinking needed to be driven by routine, rather than reliance on patient thirst.
She said it was a concern older people were ‘‘too afraid to drink’’.
Wham, who has researched malnutrition among older people, said the physiological mechanisms that triggered thirst and hunger conspired against people as they aged.
But people could play a part by sharing ameal or cup of tea with ageing relatives or friends.