ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts): Uses, Side Effects & Brands in Pakistan
Oral rehydration salts (ORS) are a mix of glucose, sodium, potassium and citrate that is dissolved in clean water. In Pakistan ORS is sold in sachets and ready-to-drink packs, and it is the most important home treatment for dehydration from diarrhoea.
How ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts) works
When you have diarrhoea or vomiting, the body loses water and salts. The glucose in ORS helps the gut absorb sodium and water much faster than plain water can, so it replaces what has been lost.
What is ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts) used for?
- Preventing and treating dehydration from diarrhoea, including in babies and children
- Dehydration from vomiting
- Fluid loss in hot weather, heavy sweating or heat exhaustion
- Supporting fluid intake during fever, for example in dengue, as advised by a doctor
For children with diarrhoea, doctors also commonly recommend zinc alongside ORS.
Side effects of ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts)
ORS is very safe when made up correctly. Problems usually come from mixing it wrongly:
- Vomiting if it is drunk too quickly (give small, frequent sips)
- Too much salt in the body if mixed with too little water
- Less effective if diluted with too much water
Get medical help urgently if there is blood in the stool, the person is very drowsy or hard to wake, cannot drink, has sunken eyes, a dry mouth and passes little or no urine, or if a baby has repeated vomiting.
Precautions and warnings
- Use exactly the amount of clean, boiled and cooled water written on the pack. Do not guess.
- Do not add sugar, salt or juice to ORS.
- Throw away made-up ORS after 24 hours.
- Keep breastfeeding babies and give normal food as soon as the child can eat.
- People with kidney disease or heart failure should ask a doctor before using ORS.
Frequently asked questions about ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts)
How do you make ORS at home from a sachet?
Wash your hands, empty the whole sachet into a clean container and add exactly the amount of clean, boiled and cooled water written on the pack. Stir until dissolved and give in small, frequent sips.
Can ORS be given in dengue?
Yes, staying well hydrated is important in dengue and ORS can help, but dengue needs a doctor’s monitoring because some patients need hospital fluids.
Are energy drinks or juices the same as ORS?
No. Juices and soft drinks contain too much sugar and the wrong amount of salts, and can make diarrhoea worse. Use proper ORS.
ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts) brands and prices in Pakistan
Medimart lists 140+ products containing ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts) from different manufacturers. Compare strengths, pack sizes and prices below and order online with cash on delivery.
