Oral Rehydration Solution: A “Low-Tech” Oft
Neglected Therapy
Nutrition Issues in Gastroeneterology, Series #21, October 2004
Summary: The concept of oral rehydration
solutions arose from concerns in the public health
community regarding the high worldwide mortality occurring as a result of infectious
diarrheas.
This was primarily in the Third World where death rates were as high as 5
million in the 1980’s.
This clinical setting and the discoveries related
to the physiology of membrane structure and
function led to the most rapid
successful clinical application of basic science principles that has
been experienced
in modern medicine. Yet, this life-saving therapy has been slow to be accepted
by Western medicine. This review explores the underlying physiologic principle
of oral rehydration
solution, discusses some of the critical literature in the field and provides
some of the practical
application of oral rehydration in medical practice today.
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