Monday, 15 December 2014

Endocrinology Made Simple : Hyponatremia,Causes and Management

Hyponatremia

Hyponatremia is defined as relative excess of water in relation to sodium in the body.

Causes and Classification:

Increased water Intake:

Primary Polydipsia

Endocrine Disorders:

Adrenal Insufficiency

Hypothyroidism

Impaired water excretion

Advanced Renal Failure

Increased Anti diuretic Hormone ADH Release.

Causes Of Increased ADH Relaese:

Decreased effective circulating volume:

Volume depletion

Congestive Heart Failure

Cirrhosis

Diuretics Overuse

SIADH : Syndrome Of inappropriate ADH Secretion

Causes Of SIADH:

Central Nervous System Disorders

Cancer/Tumors : (Ususally small cell lung ca)

Medications and Drugs:

Carbamazepine

Cyclophosphamide

SSRIS : Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Lung Diseases

Postoperative patients.

Increased use of hypotonic fluids postoperatively

Symptoms Of hyponatremia:

These are mainly neurological and occur due to cerebral oedema caused by movement of water into the brain cells.

Earliest symptoms are nausea,malaise followed by headache.

In severe hyponatremia when serum sodium falls below 115 meq / L seizures,coma and respiratory arrest can occur.

Treatment Of Hyponatremia/Key Points

It depends upon th cause of hyponatremia,the severity of symptoms and plasma concentration of sodium.

Management of Severe Symptomatic Hyponatremia / sodium below 115 meq/L

Sodium should be corrected at rate of 1.5 – 2 meq/L / hour for the first 3 – 4 hours.

Hypertonic saline should be used in this perios eg 3 % Normal saline.

Plasma sodium levels should be monitored frequently during this initial correction.

Sodium levels should not be raised more than 12 meq/L in first 24 hours.


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