Hyponatremia among Psychiatric Patients Using Antipsychotic Medication in a Tertiary Hospital in South-South, Nigeria

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hyponatremia among psychiatric patients taking antipsychotics, to determine the correlation between serum sodium levels and dosage of medications as well as to determine the association between class of antipsychotic medication and serum sodium levels among patients taking antipsychotic medications. This is a longitudinal study. From 92 consenting antipsychotic nave patients who met the inclusion criteria, sociodermographic interview schedule was administered. Thereafter, a single venous blood sample was obtained for serum electrolyte analysis and repeated after 6 weeks. Prevalence of hyponatremia was 19.4%, there was a correlation between hyponatremia and dose of antipsychotic in chlorpromazine equivalent ( r = −0.354; p = 0.01), and there is an association between typical antipsychotic use and hyponatremia. The use of both typical and atypical antipsychotic medications can lead to hyponatremia. This is in keeping with previous reports.