Potassium and chloride losses are in a similar range. Deficits of this magnitude can occur with acute diarrhoea of any etiology. Dehydration is the loss of water and salts from the body. The human body needs water to maintain enough blood and other fluids to function properly. Along with the fluids, the body also needs electrolytes, which are salts normally found in blood, other fluids, and cells.
Severe dehydration can cause death.
The usual causes of dehydration are a lot of diarrhoea and vomiting. Dehydration can also occur if you do not eat or drink much during an illness or if you do not drink enough during or after strenuous exercise. Dehydration caused by diarrhoea is one of the biggest single killers of children in the modern world and diarrhoea itself is one of the major causes of nutritional loss and poor growth. Early features are difficult to detect but include dryness of mouth and thirst As dehydration increases , signs and symptoms develop. Death follows soon if rehydration is not started quickly.