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Suggest Treatment For Hyponatremia
Question: I have an elderly relative that has been released from medium-intensive care by Internal Medicine specialists, she came into the hospital with very low sodium levels (hyponatremia), after a week of sodium correction therapy she was released, but after a week at home symptoms of hyponatremia are starting to show again (hand and finger swelling), she already has severe neurologic issues (stupor). Having said that, I want to know, what can I do to correct the problem at home, prior to taking her back to the hospital, those visits take a huge toll on her, i.e she still shows the black marks of troubled IV applications, and her veins are too weak to be of any worth,
please advise
please advise
Brief Answer:
May need observed Na correction
Detailed Answer:
Hi Integru.....,
Welcome to healthcare Magic!
Your elderly lady relative is apparently very sick and has many comorbid conditions. such patients are typically susceptible to infections like pneumonia and urinary tract infections and develop a condition called SIADH, marked by hyponatremia. Patient may develop hyponatremia due to poor intake due to stupor and may develop stupor due to hyponatremia. So a complex relationship.
I would suggest get her examined by a local physician and get Complete blood counts, Renal function tests, urine routine and culture and a chest Xray.
If any infection is detected then it should be treated with suitable antibiotics.
If urea and creatinine are not raised then she should have restricted fluid intake to less than 1-1.5 litres a day depending on her weight. There are options of giving additional edible salt about 3grms 8hourly.
The correction of sodium should not be fast and the sodium increase should not exceed > 10Meq in a day otherwise patients may slip into Osmolar demyelination and become comatose.
For that reason she should be closely watched by a local doctor and serum sodium levels should be done every 12 hourly during active correction.
In resistant cases a drug Tolvaptan can be added under physician supervision.
I hope the advise would be informative and useful for you.
Take Care!
May need observed Na correction
Detailed Answer:
Hi Integru.....,
Welcome to healthcare Magic!
Your elderly lady relative is apparently very sick and has many comorbid conditions. such patients are typically susceptible to infections like pneumonia and urinary tract infections and develop a condition called SIADH, marked by hyponatremia. Patient may develop hyponatremia due to poor intake due to stupor and may develop stupor due to hyponatremia. So a complex relationship.
I would suggest get her examined by a local physician and get Complete blood counts, Renal function tests, urine routine and culture and a chest Xray.
If any infection is detected then it should be treated with suitable antibiotics.
If urea and creatinine are not raised then she should have restricted fluid intake to less than 1-1.5 litres a day depending on her weight. There are options of giving additional edible salt about 3grms 8hourly.
The correction of sodium should not be fast and the sodium increase should not exceed > 10Meq in a day otherwise patients may slip into Osmolar demyelination and become comatose.
For that reason she should be closely watched by a local doctor and serum sodium levels should be done every 12 hourly during active correction.
In resistant cases a drug Tolvaptan can be added under physician supervision.
I hope the advise would be informative and useful for you.
Take Care!
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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