What does diaphoretic mean?

What does diaphoretic mean?

• A. Dry skin
• B. Sweating heavily
• C. Fainting
• D. Feverish

Answer: (B)

Diaphoretic means actively sweating heavily. In a clinical setting, describing someone as diaphoretic signals visible, profuse sweating, which can accompany distress, pain, heat exposure, dehydration, fever, or shock. It is not about dry skin, which would mean no sweating; it is not about fainting, which is a loss of consciousness; and while fever can cause sweating, the term diaphoretic specifically defines the sweating itself.

Diaphoretic means actively sweating heavily. In a clinical setting, describing someone as diaphoretic signals visible, profuse sweating, which can accompany distress, pain, heat exposure, dehydration, fever, or shock. It is not about dry skin, which would mean no sweating; it is not about fainting, which is a loss of consciousness; and while fever can cause sweating, the term diaphoretic specifically defines the sweating itself.