By Siri Markula
SF Public Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Dehydration is one of the primary causes of preventable hospitalizations in the U.S. A Bay Area biotech comapny is working to solve the problem with a relatively low-tech approach.

In California alone, more than 16,000 preventable hospitalizations were caused by dehydration in 2008. Infants and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. Promptly diagnosed, dehydration is easily treatable but untreated it can lead to seizures or death.

Until now, no simple test has been available to measure dehydration.

Full story: Device that measures hydration from a drop of saliva