Abstract
The presentation is an outline of the key points in the general and ongoing discussion regarding the amount (liberal vs. restrictive) and type (crystalloid vs. colloidal) of fluid replacement in patients at ICU/Resuscitation and Emergency Care Units. The review presents current concepts on the regulatory mechanisms of major pathophysiological states of fluid balance in the body and some clinical situations requiring intervention.
Finally, water is considered, in a broader context, as an important element in maintaining life-sustaining conditions.