Dehydration in older people could be detected by routine blood tests

Dehydration in older people could be detected by routine blood tests

Dehydration in older people could be accurately identified as part of routine blood testing according to new research. The best test for diagnosing dehydration, known as a serum osmolality test, is expensive and not currently viable for wide-scale NHS screening. But new research published today reveals how routine blood tests for sodium, potassium, urea and glucose could be used to screen for dehydration.