Dehydration: Examination

A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:

  • General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body temperature, body weight, body height; further:
    • Inspection (viewing).
      • Skin, mucous membranes, and sclerae (white part of the eye) [dry skin and mucous membranes; dark circles; sunken eyes; standing skin folds; decreased skin perfusion (skin blood flow)]
    • Examination of the lungs [due topossible cause: hyperventilation (accelerated breathing)]
    • Palpation (palpation) of the abdomen (abdomen) (pressure pain?, knocking pain?, coughing pain?, defensive tension?, hernial orifices?, kidney bearing knocking pain?) [due topossible cause: pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)]
  • Neurologic examination [due topossible symptoms: cephalgia (headache); delir-like states (state of confusion); somnolence (disturbance of consciousness); convulsions]
  • Health Check

Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.