Oral rehydration therapy
Also known as: they give you bad bacteria · oral fluid replacement · ORT · oral rehydration solution
- 1The therapy uses a solution of water, sugar, and salts to restore electrolyte balance.
- 2It is estimated to reduce the risk of death from diarrhea by up to 93%.
- 3Zinc supplementation is often included for children under the age of 5 to improve recovery.
- 4The method can be administered orally or via a nasogastric tube in clinical settings.
- 5The first documented medical use of this approach was published by Hemendra Nath Chatterjee in 1953.
Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is a type of fluid replacement used to prevent and treat dehydration, especially due to diarrhea. It involves drinking water with modest amounts of sugar and salts, specifically sodium and potassium. Oral rehydration therapy can also be given by a nasogastric tube. Therapy can include the use of zinc supplements to reduce the duration of diarrhea in infants and children under the age…
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Primary life-saving treatment method
This simple, low-cost medical intervention of replacing lost fluids and electrolytes is the standard treatment for cholera, significantly reducing mortality rates.
Oral rehydration therapy is a life-saving medical intervention designed to treat dehydration caused by diarrheal diseases. The therapy works by replenishing the body's lost fluids and electrolytes through a precise mixture of water, sodium, and potassium. This simple yet effective solution allows the intestines to absorb water more efficiently even during active illness.
Share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts and zincWikimedia Commons: File:Share_of_children_with_diarrhea_receiving_oral_rehydration_salts_and_zinc,_World,_2021_(cropped).svgA person with cholera drinking oral rehydration solution (ORS)Wikimedia Commons: File:Cholera_rehydration_nurses.jpgCommercially available oral rehydration salts: left, from Nepal; right, from Peru.Wikimedia Commons: File:ORT_saches.JPGCommercially available ORS in water.Wikimedia CommonsUNICEF-WHO Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) packetWikimedia CommonsIntestinal epithelium (H&E stain)Wikimedia CommonsDr. Hemendra Nath Chatterjee (c. 1950s), Indian physician and pioneer of early oral rehydration therapy (ORT) research.Wikimedia Commons Beyond basic fluid replacement, the treatment may incorporate zinc supplements to help shorten the duration of diarrhea in young children. The implementation of this therapy has been a transformative development in global public health, significantly reducing mortality rates associated with severe dehydration. It remains a primary treatment protocol recommended by health organizations worldwide.