Older adults are subject to many anatomical and therefore physiological changes throughout the aging process. One of the many changes to occur is the kidney consistently decreases in size beginning at the age of 30 (McCance, Huether, Brashers, and Rote, 2014). Since the kidney is critical to maintaining water and electrolyte as well as acid and base balance as a result, the older adult population faces changes to acid base compensation abilities and decreased kidney function. While this population faces physiological fluid balance challenges, they are also being prescribed more diuretics than other medications (Rumble and Morgan, 1994). Diuretics function to increase water output by the kidneys and are prescribed greatly for this population
