Question

Eduardo Chavez complained of being thirsty all the time. His doctor noted this excessive thirst on his chart as ___________.

a) Polydipsia
b) Polyphagia
c) Polyuria
d) Hyponatremia

Answer 1

Excessive thirst, as experienced by Eduardo Chavez, is medically termed as polydipsia and could suggest underlying conditions like diabetes insipidus, which involves ADH underproduction or a mutation in the ADH receptor.

Step-by-step explanation:

Eduardo Chavez’s doctor would note his excessive thirst on his chart as polydipsia. Polydipsia is the medical term for excessive thirst and is commonly associated with frequent urination, a condition known as polyuria. In many cases, polyuria and polydipsia are indicators of underlying health issues such as diabetes insipidus or diabetes mellitus. Diabetes insipidus, for example, is characterized by a chronic underproduction of the antidiuretic hormone (ADH) or a mutation in the ADH receptor, leading to excessive loss of water through urine and resulting in a need for increased fluid intake to avoid dehydration and maintain electrolyte balance.