Hyponatraemia is the most common electrolyte disorder. In its severe form it has a high morbidity and mortality. The cause of the hyponatraemia must be identified by clinical assessment and investigations including serum and urinary sodium and osmolality. Determining if the patient is euvolaemic, hypovolaemic or hypervolaemic helps guide treatment. Most cases are caused by drugs, inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone, and fluid retaining conditions such as heart failure. In addition to managing the underlying cause, severe hyponatraemia requires correction of the serum sodium. Treatment should be in an intensive care unit. Correcting the serum sodium too quickly risks causing cerebral demyelination which is frequently fatal.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.