What assessment findings indicate a patient in fluid overload?

Weight gain, edema, and elevated blood pressure are key indicators of fluid overload in a patient. When the body retains excess fluid, it leads to an increase in total body weight. This often presents as swelling or edema, particularly in dependent areas such as the legs and feet, due to gravity and the accumulation of fluid in these tissues.

Elevated blood pressure can occur as a result of increased intravascular volume due to fluid overload, which places additional stress on the cardiovascular system. The heart must work harder to manage the increased volume, leading to elevated blood pressure readings.

In contrast, weight loss and increased urinary output would suggest that the body is effectively eliminating fluid rather than retaining it, signaling the opposite condition of fluid overload. Similarly, decreased blood pressure and severe dehydration indicate a lack of fluid rather than an excess, while a reduced respiratory rate and pleurisy are not direct indicators of fluid overload but rather other pathophysiological conditions. Thus, the combination of weight gain, edema, and elevated blood pressure is a definitive indicator of fluid overload.