[Prescribing intravenous fluids in hospitalized patients : from need to harm].

Prescribing intravenous fluids in a hospital setting is a task that each clinician has to endorse in an everyday practice. This task is universal to the point that it is often undervalued, or even neglected during clinical teaching. However, one shouldn't underestimate the risks related to excessive fluid administration, of which the clinician often doesn't know the exact composition. Literature about persistent fluid overload in hospital is scarce. This complex condition should however be given the attention it deserves. Indeed, it seems to be associated with increased costs and an excess in morbidity and even mortality.