Sign and symptoms in hypovolemia
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hypovolemia signs symptoms Merck Manual professional
Hypovolemia means reduced circulating extracellular fluid volume, often due to vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, burns, diuretics, or bleeding.
Symptoms
- Thirst
- Weakness, fatigue
- Dizziness or light-headedness, especially on standing
- Reduced urine output or dark, concentrated urine
- Nausea
- Muscle cramps
- Confusion, drowsiness, or fainting in severe cases
Signs
- Dry mouth and mucous membranes
- Reduced skin turgor, though this is less reliable in older adults
- Tachycardia
- Weak, thready pulse
- Cold, clammy extremities
- Delayed capillary refill
- Orthostatic tachycardia or hypotension
- Low blood pressure, typically a later or more severe sign
- Tachypnea
- Oliguria
- Altered mental state
Severity pattern
- Mild: thirst and reduced skin turgor.
- Moderate: postural dizziness, tachycardia, and orthostatic hypotension.
- Severe: hypotension, confusion, very low urine output, poor peripheral perfusion, and features of hypovolemic shock.
Seek urgent medical care for fainting, confusion, persistent low blood pressure, rapid pulse, very little urine, black/bloody stools, vomiting blood, or suspected significant bleeding. The Merck Manual summary similarly describes dry mucosa, tachycardia, orthostatic hypotension, oliguria, and shock features with severe depletion.
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