Oral rehydration therapy as an alternative to intravenous therapy in dehydrated older people

Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) using recommended oral rehydration solutions has become the standard treatment for all forms of diarrheas in children since the 1970s. However, little research has been done to evaluate the efficacy of ORT for treating dehydration in older populations. The authors describe a case of a 68-year-old man with dehydration and at high risk of intravenous fluid overload who was successfully treated with ORT. The existing literature of the application of ORT in the elderly is reviewed, and considerations for translating this simple solution for dehydration from pediatrics into geriatric practice are discussed. Our experience suggests that ORT may be a safer and less costly way to replace volume losses in older individuals, as it has proven to be in children.