Which outputs are considered insensible losses and are estimated at approximately 10 mL/kg/day?

Which outputs are considered insensible losses and are estimated at approximately 10 mL/kg/day?

• A. Water output from the feces, skin and lungs is considered insensible loss
• B. Water output from urine and sweat is considered insensible loss
• C. Vomitus is considered insensible loss
• D. Feces only is considered insensible loss

Answer: (A)

Insensible water losses are those that occur without our awareness and aren’t easily measured. They mainly come from evaporation from the skin and from respiration (breathing). In some maintenance-fluid estimates, a small, ongoing fecal water component is included because it represents water loss that isn’t captured by measuring urine or stool output and tends to occur continuously. When you combine feces with skin and lungs, you’re accounting for the non-measurable portion of daily water loss that contributes to the typical ~10 mL/kg/day estimate. Thus, water output from the feces, skin, and lungs aligns with the concept of insensible losses and the commonly cited value. Urine and sweat are usually considered sensible losses because they can be measured; vomiting is also a measurable (sensible) loss; feces alone would omit a portion of the non-measurable losses.

Insensible water losses are those that occur without our awareness and aren’t easily measured. They mainly come from evaporation from the skin and from respiration (breathing). In some maintenance-fluid estimates, a small, ongoing fecal water component is included because it represents water loss that isn’t captured by measuring urine or stool output and tends to occur continuously. When you combine feces with skin and lungs, you’re accounting for the non-measurable portion of daily water loss that contributes to the typical ~10 mL/kg/day estimate.

Thus, water output from the feces, skin, and lungs aligns with the concept of insensible losses and the commonly cited value. Urine and sweat are usually considered sensible losses because they can be measured; vomiting is also a measurable (sensible) loss; feces alone would omit a portion of the non-measurable losses.