Question

When should healthcare providers consider transitioning from oral rehydration to intravenous (IV) rehydration in a patient with diarrhea, and what threshold of stool output is typically used as a guideline?

Answer 1

Healthcare providers should consider transitioning from oral rehydration to intravenous (IV) rehydration in a patient with diarrhea when the patient is unable to keep fluids down or shows signs of dehydration. The threshold of stool output used as a guideline is diarrhea that lasts more than 3 days.

Step-by-step explanation:

In patients with diarrhea, healthcare providers should consider transitioning from oral rehydration to intravenous (IV) rehydration when the patient is unable to keep fluids down due to frequent vomiting or when signs of dehydration are present, such as a marked decrease in urination, a very dry mouth and throat, or feeling dizzy when standing up.

The threshold of stool output used as a guideline for transitioning to IV rehydration is diarrhea that lasts more than 3 days. V rehydration is necessary in these cases to quickly replenish fluids and electrolytes that have been lost through vomiting and diarrhea.