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Oral Rehydration Salts
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Whenever a person has diarrhea, water together with some minerals are lost in the stools. This will lead to dehydration and if not treated may lead to death. It is important to replenish the lost fluid by giving Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS).
ORS are ready mixed preparations which may come in tablet, powder, or liquid form. The tablet and powder form are mixed with the right amount of water while the liquid form is ready to drink. The disadvantage of the liquid form is that once it is opened and if the entire bottle is not consumed within 24 hours then it is no longer suitable to drink.
Diarrhea sometimes occur at night when the stores are close. When this happens to you, try mixing your own home-made ORS preparation by adding 1 teaspoon of salt and 8 teaspoons of sugar to 1 liter of water. Others prefer using raw sugars like molassses because it contains more potassium than the white sugar. Whether you're using home-made or ready mixed preparation, what is important is that you are able to rehydrate immediately in order to save your life.
Name: Amelyn R. Rafael,MD Home: San Fabian, Pangasinan, Philippines About Me: Family Physician, and Associate Professor (Clinical Anatomy and Medical Physiology) See my complete profile
