Blood sodium concentration sometimes can drop too low, usually as a result of severe diarrhea, vomiting or intense prolonged sweating with replacement of water but not sodium.
Hyponatremia is a plasma sodium less than 135 mEg/L. It is clinically significance only when it reflects corresponding hypo-osmolality of the plasma.
Many illness, including cancer, kidney disease and heart disease, can cause low blood sodium concentration.
Consuming only water without food or other mineral sources also can depress blood sodium levels.
The primary symptoms of low blood sodium, hyponatremia, resemble symptoms, and the treatment is similar replacement of fluid and minerals though liquids and foods or though intravenous suctions if necessary.
If severe hyponatremia is not treated, extracellular fluid moves into cells, causing them to swell.
As brain cells swell and malfunction, the affiliated person can experience headache, confusion, lethargy, anorexia and myalgia.
In case of severe hyponatremia it will presents with coma or seizures.
In these situations, treatment usually targets the underlying condition that cause the electrolyte imbalance.
Although most cases are mild, hyponatremia is important clinically because:
Acute severe hyponatremia can cause substantial morbidity and mortality
Mild hyponatremia can progress to more dangerous levels during management of other disorders
General mortality is higher in hyponatremic patients with a wide range of underlying diseases.
Hyponatremia
