What happens if sodium level is low in body?
Low blood sodium is common in older adults, especially those who are hospitalized or living in long-term care facilities. Signs and symptoms of hyponatremia can include altered personality, lethargy and confusion. Severe hyponatremia can cause seizures, coma and even death.
What are 3 types of hyponatremia?
Hypovolemic hyponatremia: decrease in total body water with greater decrease in total body sodium. Euvolemic hyponatremia: normal body sodium with increase in total body water. Hypervolemic hyponatremia: increase in total body sodium with greater increase in total body water.
What is the best treatment for hyponatremia?
Treatment
- Intravenous fluids. Your doctor may recommend IV sodium solution to slowly raise the sodium levels in your blood.
- Medications. You may take medications to manage the signs and symptoms of hyponatremia, such as headaches, nausea and seizures.
Who is at risk of hyponatremia?
Hyponatremia is more likely in people living with certain diseases, like kidney failure, congestive heart failure, and diseases affecting the lungs, liver or brain. It often occurs with pain after surgery. Also, people taking medications like diuretics and some antidepressants are more at risk for this condition.
What causes low sodium in humans?
A low sodium level has many causes, including consumption of too many fluids, kidney failure, heart failure, cirrhosis, and use of diuretics.
How dangerous is hyponatremia?
Severe hyponatremia can lead to coma and can be fatal. Drinking excess water while exercising strenuously can cause low sodium levels in the blood if adequate sodium is not replaced.
What you should know about hyponatremia?
Hyponatremia occurs because of an imbalance of water and sodium. Most frequently it occurs when excessive water dilutes the amount of sodium in the body or when not enough total sodium is present in the body. A common classification of hyponatremia is based on the amount of total body water that is present.
When to correct hyponatremia?
If hyponatremia has been present for longer than 48 hours or the durationis unknown, as in the case of our patient, correction should be handledcarefully. It is probably wise, therefore, to correct the hyponatremia at less thanthe maximum rate in asymptomatic patients. This can be accomplished by fluidrestriction.
What is the difference between hyponatremia and hypernatremia?
Hyponatremia means an individual has too little sodium in thier body. Hypernatremia means they have too much sodium in their body. Either condition can be dangerous to an individual if left untreated.