Hyponatremia

Hyponatremia – General Information

Hyponatremia is a disorder which is described as an extremely low level of sodium in the blood. There are two different types of this disease: the chronic one and the acute one. The chronic form of this disease is characterized by the malfunction of the cells, a problem which causes excessive swelling. In addition, this form is characterized by the fact that the sodium levels decrease gradually and the signs and symptoms which appear are usually moderate. The acute form evolves completely different: the levels of sodium decrease rapidly, in just a few days and the symptoms are quite severe. Sometimes, this type of Hyponatremia can even result in coma or sudden death. The reports have shown the fact that this disease is usually the result of an abnormal excretion of the water from the body or an abnormal increase of the consumption of the water in the organism, (for example, in the case of those people who exercise a lot or in the case of athletes). It is quite important for this disease to be diagnosed and treated in due time, as sodium plays a vital role in the body: it carries the nerve impulses from a cell to another, it assures muscle movement, it keeps the blood pressure at a normal level and it adjusts the fluids around and into the cells. There are several causes which can lead to the appearance of Hyponatremia: hormonal changes, the administration of diuretics, the excessive consume of water during some activities, kidneys problems, cirrhosis, dehydration, diarrhea or severe vomiting.

Hyponatremia - Symptoms

The signs and symptoms which appear in the case of Hyponatremia differ a lot considering what type of the disease a person suffers from. However, the most common signs and symptoms which have been reported are the following: headaches, vomiting, confusion, nausea, lethargy, appetite loss, fatigue, irritability, muscle weakness, restlessness, spasms, seizures, cramps, coma or decreased consciousness. There are some risk factors which can increase the possibility of suffering from this disease: the age, the sex, the diet, the intense physical activities, the climate or other medical conditions. In what concerns the way in which the age affects the possibility of suffering from this disease, there is common knowledge the fact that older people present a lower level of sodium in their bodies. On the other hand, studies have shown that this disease is more likely to affect women than men, and its appearance can be highly influenced by a person’s diet.

The risk of suffering from Hyponatremia also increases in the case of those who take part in ultra-marathons, long-distance runners, marathons, triathlons or other physical activities. A hot climate increases the quantity of sodium which is eliminated through sweating and, therefore, the disease is more likely to develop. In addition to these risk factors, there are also some medical conditions and complications which can lead to the appearance of the disease; kidney disease or heart failure are however the most common problems. If you notice any of the signs and symptoms presented above or one or more of the risk factors, you should seek for medical care as soon as possible.

Hyponatremia - Treatment

Considering the fact that, in most of the cases, Hyponatremia does not present clear signs and symptoms, it can be quite difficult to diagnose it. However, if you suspect of suffering from this disease, your doctor will probably ask you some questions about the following issues: your medical history, your general health condition and the appearance of any abnormalities in your medical condition lately. Such abnormalities may include excessive fluid loss, diarrhea or vomiting. In addition to this quick test, your doctor will probably want to perform a physical examination and some laboratory tests, such as a blood test and a urine test. These examinations are extremely important in order to obtain all the necessary information about the level of sodium in your body. After the disease is diagnosed, the doctor has to determine what form of the disease a patient suffers from and then choose the best way of treatment. If the patient suffers from chronic Hyponatremia, the doctor will probably choose as a way of treatment the reduction of the quantity of water which the patient drinks and the reduction of the number of diuretic pills, if necessary. These measures are taken in order to increase the quantity of sodium in the blood. 

In the case of acute Hyponatremia, the doctor will choose a more aggressive form of treatment and he can choose from the following procedures: the intravenous administration of fluids, the administration of medications or hormone injections. In what concerns the intravenous administration of fluids the bad part is the fact that the patient needs to be hospitalized in order to obtain better results. The medications are usually used as a complementary measure in order to reduce the signs and symptoms, such as seizures, headaches or nausea. In addition to medications, the hormone injections can improve the patient’s general condition. The most important part during the treatment of Hyponatremia is the fact that the doctor has to assure that the patient will not experience a sudden fall of the level of sodium as this can lead to coma and sudden death. In order to assure that this will not happen, the doctor firstly has to stabilize the patient’s condition.

There are some simple measures which a person can apply to everyday life in order to decrease the risk of suffering from this disease. First of all, in order to reduce the risk of suffering from Hyponatremia a person has to treat efficiently all the conditions which can result in the appearance of this disorder; the most common complications which have been reported to contribute to the risk of developing this disorder are adrenal insufficiency and heart failure. When a person starts the administration of diuretics, he should be aware of the possible side-effects; this is why this kind of medicines should be taken at the doctor’s recommendation. Another important thing which should be taken into consideration is the fact that those who perform highly intensive activities have to adjust the quantity of water which they drink during a race or a marathon.