Concept on fluid as the medication: Fluid therapy as the medication

Abstract

Fluid prescription is the basis of critical care, emergency and hospital department therapy. Fluid management is directed according to daily fluid needs and output, body weight, sodium, potassium and glucose content. The consideration of potential risks of fluid overload presents advanced strategy in practice. Monitoring and recording of intravenous and other fluid management is of utmost importance but it is usually poor. Scientific research in the last fifteen years announces a new era in fluid therapy. At the beginning, volume of fluid was pointed out both in the area of initial critical care presentation and the period after the resuscitation. Then, the scientific data about fluid composition increased attention to potential adverse effects of fluid and electrolyte accumulation. Finally, it becomes apparent that fluid and electrolyte overload may influence patient outcomes. Everything previously mentioned was mainly studied in critical care patients and produced new apprehention of the fluid as the solitary drug. The aim of this mini review was to point out the importance of defining fluid as the drug and to present main definitions in this area in this moment.

Keywords

• patient safety
• critical incident
• medical errors