Dehydration in frailty — DipIMC MCQ

Correct answer: B — Assess ABCDE, consider cautious IV fluid and arrange conveyance

Option B is correct because Frail older patients can decompensate quickly from dehydration and need careful resuscitation and assessment. Option E is less appropriate because watchful waiting risks deterioration or delays definitive care; option A is less appropriate because the clinical risk exceeds that destination or timeframe. Option D is less appropriate because it is plausible in a different scenario but suboptimal for the features described; option C is less appropriate because analgesia is important but not sufficient as the primary intervention. Clinical pearl: in DipIMC-style questions, the best answer is the intervention that changes outcome earliest in the pre-hospital phase.

Reference: JRCALC Guidelines