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Osmotic myelinolysis syndrome after treatment of severe deamino arginine vasopressin‐associated hyponatraemia: Pitfalls in emergency medicine
Author(s) -
Gutenstein Marc
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
emergency medicine australasia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.602
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1742-6723
pISSN - 1742-6731
DOI - 10.1111/j.1742-6723.2007.00931.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hyponatremia , central pontine myelinolysis , vasopressin , complication , intensive care medicine
Hyponatraemia is among the more common electrolyte abnormalities encountered in the ED. Both the primary disturbance and its correction can result in life‐threatening neurological sequelae. Osmotic myelinolysis syndrome is one such complication and is associated with the rapid correction of hyponatraemia. The present case report describes the mechanism of severe hyponatraemia in a patient taking deamino arginine vasopressin, and the subsequent development of both central pontine and extrapontine myelinolysis after rapid correction of sodium levels. Implications for the emergency management of such patients are discussed.