Question

What physiologic mechanisms are contributory to alterations in sodium levels? There are several hormonal mechanisms that have a direct effect on serum sodium levels. Can you identify a disease process within which hyponatremia is a characteristic?

Hyponatremia can be hypotonic or hypertonic. What is the difference? What happens at the cellular level with each of these states?  

Why is hyponatremia so bad for the brain?

Finally, patient education regarding hyponatremia is going to be somewhat cause-specific. What education is important to help people prevent the occurrence of hyponatremia, especially during times of prolonged physical exertion?

Answer 1

Alterations in sodium levels: It can mainly occur as a result of loss of body sodium through vomiting, burns, diarrhea, kidney failure and diuretic use and this process was known as volume depletion. In other hand among athlete’s alterations in sodium levels was mainly caused by loss of sweat. During workout, sweat is produced to cool down the holy which otherwise result in heat illness. Sweat consists of water and salts. As sweat is lost, water and salt is lost from the body.

Hormonal mechanisms effect on serum sodium levels:

Inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) is characterized by excessive release of antidiuritic hormone from the posterior pituitary gland or another source. The increase in blood volume often results in dilution hyponatremia in which the plasma sodium levels are lowered and total body fluid is increased.

Hyponatremia: It is a condition of low sodium concentration in blood. The normal blood sodium level is 135 mEq/L. This concentration must he maintained for many functions in our body such as regulation of normal Mod pressure, functioning of nervous system, maintaining fluid balance.

Hyponatremia characteristics:

Tiredness

Headache

Vomiting

Muscle spasms

Mental Illness

Coma and death under severe conditions

Hypotonic or hypertonic difference:

Hypotonic: a solution contains high solute concentration than solvent; for example, sugar (solute) dissolved in water (solvent)

Hypertonic: a solution contains high solvent concentration than solute; for example: pure distilled water

Hyponatremia is a hypotonic condition. The patient with hyponatremia was mostly preferred to infusion of hypertonic saline is therapeutic helpful because as the level of sodium is already less in blood stream so saline having hypertonic amount of sodium will be beneficial. Generally in this hyponatrumia condition at the cellular level extra water goes into your cells.

Hyponatremia affect on brain: In the condition of hyponatremia most concerned consequence was cerebral edema (excess fluid in the brain) and this condition can leads to brain swelling. This swelling can be dangerous because the brain was enclosed skull, so it cannot expand and it leads to neurological impairment.

Patient education regarding hyponatremia:

Hyponatremia is treated by consuming sodium rich diet and reducing fluid intake Rest from physical activity is recommended.

Sodium concentrations less than 125 mEq/L is known to be considered as severe hyponatremia. Severe hyponatremia is known to cause about 17 % deaths of athletes each year. In severe conditions, it is known to cause cerebral edema and other nervous disorders. Hence, the condition is very serious to be considered. Intiovenous sodiurn is suggested which requires hospitalization.

There are various other factors to be considered which results hyponatremia such as kidney disorders and endocrine disorders. Therefore, it is necessary to know proper reason before treatment.

Fluid restriction is the treatment given with small amounts of IV hypertonic saline solution containing 3% sodium chloride to restore serum sodium levels.

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