Dipsosis

Dipsosis
Excessive thirst; overwhelming desire for water or another liquid. Dipsosis may occur when the amount of water in the body falls below normal. Any activity that causes perspiration can deplete the body's water supply and trigger dipsosis. So can fever, anxiety, sunburn and heat exhaustion. Other causes of water loss and dipsosis include the following: {{}}Diabetes Vomiting and diarrhea Diuretic drinks Diuretic medicines Taking in too much salt Diabetes: In diabetes, excessive levels of glucose, a type of sugar, build up in the blood. When the body disposes of some of the excess glucose through urination, the extra glucose in the urine acts as what is called an osmotic diuretic and requires more water to be added to the urine. Considerable water loss occurs. The person then becomes very thirsty. Vomiting and diarrhea: Both vomiting and diarrhea deplete the body of water holus-bolus. Illnesses that cause vomiting and diarrhea require treatment that replenishes the body's water orally (by mouth) or intravenously (IV). Rehydration also should include other substances that have been lost. For example, if sodium has been depleted, there needs to be some salt in the fluid being drunk or administered IV. Diuretic beverages: Diuretic beverages, those that promote urination, include coffee, tea, beer and other alcoholic beverages. Persons who favor these beverages need to drink plenty of water to maintain normal water levels in their bodies. (If their intake of these beverages is excessive, they should cut down.) Diuretic medicines: Too high a dose of a diuretic drug, one that promotes the formation of urine, also will cause dehydration and lead to excessive thirst (dipsosis). Taking in too much salt: Ham, canned soup, cheese, pickles, sauerkraut, lunch meats, snack foods (like pretzels and peanuts) and fast foods all tend to contain high levels of salt. These foods should be eaten sparingly to prevent dipsosis. "Dipsosis" is derived from the Greek "dipsa" (thirst) and "-sis" (a suffix meaning condition or state).
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SYN: dipsesis. [G. dipsa, thirst, + -osis, condition]

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Dipsosis — Dip*so sis, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? thirst.] (Med.) Excessive thirst produced by disease. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dipsosis — noun Any condition characterized by excessive thirst …   Wiktionary

  • dipsosis —   n. great thirst due to disease …   Dictionary of difficult words

  • dipsosis — ‖ dipˈsosis Med. [irreg. f. Gr. δίψα thirst + osis: the actual Gr. word was δίψησις.] ‘A term for a morbid degree of thirst: nearly synonymous with Polydipsia’ (Mayne Expos. Lex. 1851–60). in Craig …   Useful english dictionary

  • Dipsophobia — An abnormal and persistent fear of drinking alcohol. Sufferers of dipsophobia experience undue anxiety about addiction to alcohol and the effect this addiction can have on their body. (However, their abstinence from alcohol certainly should not… …   Medical dictionary

  • Fear of drinking alcohol — An abnormal and persistent fear of drinking alcohol. Sufferers of this fear experience undue anxiety about addiction to alcohol and the effect this addiction can have on their body. (However, their abstinence from alcohol certainly should not be… …   Medical dictionary

  • dipsesis — An abnormal or excessive thirst, or a craving for unusual forms of drink. SYN: dipsosis, morbid thirst. [G. dipseo, to thirst] …   Medical dictionary

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