Which intervention decreases fluid retention?

• A. Sodium Restriction
• B. Fluid Restriction
• C. Elevate Head of Bed
• D. Hypotonic Fluids

Answer: (B)

Controlling fluid retention is about limiting how much fluid is in the body. Limiting fluid intake directly reduces the total volume of fluid entering the system, which lowers the amount of fluid that can accumulate in the tissues and vessels. This makes fluid restriction the most direct way to decrease overall fluid load and edema.

Other options affect fluid in different ways but don’t reduce total body fluid as directly. Elevating the head of the bed can shift fluid away from the lungs or chest and may ease localized edema, but it doesn’t lower the overall fluid volume. Hypotonic fluids add free water and can worsen retention. Sodium restriction helps reduce water retention indirectly by changing osmotic balance, but it doesn’t reduce the total fluid load as immediately or predictably as restricting fluids itself.