Managing hypernatremia in fluid deficient elderly

The institutionalized elderly are at risk for developing fluid volume depletion with progression to hypernatremia. This is particularly common in patients transferred to an acute care setting from a nursing home. A marked reduction in intracellular fluid and the increase in body fat associated with normal aging predispose the elderly to water loss with very little environmental prompting. Conditions contributing to the development of fluid volume deficit include febrile illness, utilization of enteral supplements, gastrointestinal bleeding, use of loop diuretics, renal failure, prolonged vomiting, diarrhea, diabetes, and disability induced fluid restriction. This can lead to apathy and confusion, which are often incorrectly attributed to dementia. The utilization of Roy's Adaptation Model to this problem focuses on the regulator subsystem and the physiologic mode.