Open AccessProblem based review: The patient presenting with hyponatraemia
Author(s) -
Mohammad Saeed,
Sabina Qureshi Ahmad,
Atif Sitwat Hayat,
Saad Saeed
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
acute medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1747-4892
pISSN - 1747-4884
DOI - 10.52964/amja.0353
Subject(s) - medicine , intensive care medicine , hyponatremia , electrolyte disorder , thiazide , tolvaptan , syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion , vasopressin , vasopressin antagonists , diuretic , antidiuretic , receptor , antagonist
Hyponatraemia is the most common electrolyte anomaly and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Patients with severe hyponatraemia often present to acute medical units with non-specific symptoms which can progress to overt neurological manifestations. There are many causes of hyponatriaemia, the most common being drug-induced causes, particularly thiazide diuretics, and the Syndrome of Inappropriate ADH Secretion (SIADH). Initial assessment should include a careful evaluation of the patient’s volume status, which helps to identify the most likely cause. This article utilises a recent case which presented to our AMU to illustrate the importance of a careful and systematic assessment of patients presenting to hospital with hyponatraemia. The new vasopressin receptor antagonists are explored as an option for the management of severe hyponatraemia.