A nurse is attending to a patient in the intensive care unit. For each patient finding below, indicate whether the finding is consistent with fluid overload or dehydration in burn patients.

Tachycardia in the burn patient frequently signals a deficit in circulating blood volume. When the vascular space loses fluid due to increased capillary permeability, the stroke volume decreases significantly. To compensate and maintain an adequate cardiac output, the sinoatrial node increases the firing rate. While pain or stress can raise the heart rate, a sustained increase in the absence of adequate fluid resuscitation is a classic indicator of systemic dehydration or hypovolemic shock. Renal perfusion is highly sensitive to changes in mean arterial pressure and total intravascular volume. In a state of dehydration or inadequate fluid resuscitation after a burn, the kidneys conserve water by activating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. This results in a marked decrease in urine output, often falling below the standard minimum of 0.5 mL per kg per hour. Low output reflects a physiological attempt to maintain blood pressure despite the massive fluid shifts and losses. Blood Urea Nitrogen measures the concentration of nitrogenous waste in the blood. In dehydration, the kidneys reabsorb more water, which leads to a higher concentration of urea in the plasma. Normal BUN levels typically range from 7 to 20 mg/dL. When the patient is dehydrated, this value rises because there is less solvent available to dilute the solute. This elevation is a primary biochemical marker used to assess the severity of fluid volume deficits. Hematocrit measures the percentage of red blood cells relative to total blood volume. In fluid overload, the intravascular space is expanded with excess plasma or intravenous fluids, which dilutes the cellular components of the blood. This hemodilution causes the hematocrit percentage to drop below the normal range, which is approximately 42 to 52 percent for men and 37 to 47 percent for women. This finding helps distinguish excessive fluid administration from the hemoconcentration seen in early burns.