RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Iatrogenic acute hyponatraemia in a college athlete.
JF British Journal of Sports Medicine
JO Br J Sports Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine
SP 257
OP 258
DO 10.1136/bjsm.32.3.257
VO 32
IS 3
A1 R Herfel
A1 C K Stone
A1 S I Koury
A1 J J Blake
YR 1998
UL http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/32/3/257.abstract
AB Hyponatraemia is one of the most common electrolyte abnormalities, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. In the most basic sense, hyponatraemia can be due to sodium loss or fluid excess. The extracellular fluid status is used to clinically divide hyponatraemia into three categories to help to determine both the cause and treatment required. Hyponatraemic patients can be categorised on the basis of their fluid status as hypovolaemic, euvolaemic, or hypervolaemic. Another distinction to make in evaluating hyponatraemia is whether the onset was acute or chronic in nature. The case presented here is iatrogenic acute hypervolaemic hyponatraemia in a college athlete. The patient presented in respiratory distress with an altered mental status after the administration of hypotonic fluids for treatment of muscle cramps. Treatment included intubation, water restriction, and furosemide, to which he responded favourably. Hyponatraemia should be in the differential diagnosis for patients presenting after intravenous fluid administration.