Hyponatremia: Understanding Low Sodium Levels and Everything About It

What is Hyponatremia? 

Hyponatremia is when the blood's sodium level falls lower than usual. The level of sodium and potassium in the body should remain in proportion as the correct ratio of these two elements to the amount of water decides the health of our body.  

Sodium is an electrolyte that maintains the amount of water in and around our cells. With the increase in water level in your body, the cells will start swelling. This swelling is dangerous, especially in the brain, as the brain cannot expand past the skull, resulting in health issues that can be mild or severe.

The normal sodium level in our body ranges from 135-145 milliequivalents per litre (mEq/L). Hyponatremia is a condition in which our blood sodium level reaches below 135 mEq/L. You can find this sodium level in your blood test report's Kidney Function Test profile (KFT).

Who is Most at Risk for Hyponatremia? 

Although anyone can be affected by hyponatremia. But people with the following conditions are at more risk:

• Kidney failure
• Congestive heart failure
• Brain or liver disease
• Disorders related to hormone levels and the endocrine system

Moreover, hyponatremia is quite common at an older age because older adults have higher chances of medical problems related to kidney, liver, etc.

How Common is Hyponatremia?

Hyponatremia is a common abnormality that can range from an asymptomatic condition to a life-threatening condition. It is more common among heart, kidney, and liver patients.

What Causes Hyponatremia?

Excess water in the body is one of the primary causes of hyponatremia, as it dilutes the sodium level. This is common among people who run long races or on sunny days as those people lose most sodium in sweat and replace such losses with water. This condition is deadly as drinking too much water dilutes the remaining sodium.

Moreover, this abnormality is also caused due to sodium loss from the body. Some of the reasons that one may experience loss of sodium from the body are as follows:

• Using Diuretics: Also called 'water pills,' diuretics are usually given to kidney patients to reduce salt and water from the body. Consequently, this medication decreases the amount of sodium you excrete through urine.
• Consuming too much alcohol: Drinking excessive alcohol increases urination, making you lose more fluid from the body.
• Untreated Diarrhea: Diarrhea may lead to dehydration, which causes hyponatremia.
• Taking certain medications: Medications that usually include carbamazepine and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are also one of the reasons for the loss of sodium. SSRIs are used to treat depression, while carbamazepine treats mania and epilepsy.
• Congestive heart disease: This builds up excessive fluid in the body, which dilutes the body's sodium level.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Hyponatremia?  

The severity of hyponatremia will depend on the level of sodium remaining in the body and how quickly it is falling. In many cases, the sodium level falls gradually, which leads to mild hyponatremia symptoms as the body receives time to adjust. However, the hyponatremia symptoms become severe when the sodium level falls quickly, and patients may face symptoms of confusion, which may lead to coma and seizures. Some severe to mild hyponatremia symptoms and signs include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Weakness and muscle cramps
• Low energy, feeling lethargic
• Headache

One must pay attention to these hyponatremia signs and symptoms to get early treatment.

How is Hyponatremia Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of hyponatremia will include measurement of urine sodium, concentration of creatinine, and potassium levels in the body. Your healthcare provider might also recommend blood tests to know the amount of body water and sodium level and, in some cases, the measurement of hormone levels that regulate water uptake by the kidneys. Sometimes, he might also inquire about your medical history and do a physical exam. Such a diagnosis helps the doctor to know the reason behind low sodium and the reason for hyponatremia.

Some of the common queries the doctor might ask are:

• Which sports do you participate in, and how do you train?
• The kind of medications you take
• Any medical surgeries you had in the past
• Your alcohol consumption, especially beer

It is advisable to be honest while giving answers to all the questions and not to hide anything, including the consumption of substances like Molly, E, or Ecstasy.

How is Hyponatremia Treated?

Your treatment will be based on the underlying hyponatremia causes and severity of the hyponatremia symptoms. In mild hyponatremia symptoms, your healthcare provider will make minor adjustments to cure the disease. This treatment can be for a short or long duration. A short-term hyponatremia treatment includes:

• Limiting water intake
• Stop intake of certain medications
• Treat underlying cause

A long-term hyponatremia treatment will include:

• Limiting water intake
• Restricting intake of certain medications or adding some new medications
• Adding more salt to your diet

In case of severe or moderate hyponatremia symptoms, you may need to go to the hospital for a thorough examination and treatment. Patients with severe causes of hyponatremia will get replacement sodium intravenously through the veins. Patients must also limit their water intake or try hyponatremia therapy to enhance renal-free water excretion.

Moreover, the healthcare provider may also prescribe medications like conivaptan or tolvaptan to manage blood sodium levels and simultaneously treat underlying conditions like kidney failure or liver cirrhosis to cure hyponatremia symptoms. Therefore, working with your healthcare provider to avail the best treatment for the low sodium level is always recommended.

Are There Complications Associated With Hyponatremia?

In most cases, hyponatremia will cause excess water to move out of the bloodstream and enter body cells, especially the brain cells. In severe cases, hyponatremia symptoms may occur quickly, leading to swollen brain tissue. Therefore, if not treated, complications may include:

• Coma
• Seizures
• Death 

Can I Prevent Hyponatremia?

You will have greater probabilities of low blood sodium levels in certain underlying conditions like kidney, liver, or heart disease. Therefore, the healthcare provider might recommend a blood test to monitor your blood sodium level.

You can lower the risk of hyponatremia by following a strict treatment plan and reducing your water intake to the recommended level, along with the advice of your healthcare professional. Some of the tips to prevent hyponatremia are:

• Do not consume alcohol excessively, especially beer.
• Keep yourself hydrated, but avoid excess intake of water.
• If you are an athlete, you can take electrolytes while hydrating yourself during sports events.
• Eat a balanced diet, and eat foods rich in protein, as a protein-packed diet helps in water excretion.

You must follow the tips mentioned above to prevent hyponatremia symptoms.

What are the Outcomes After Treatment for Hyponatremia?

Through proper hyponatremia treatment, you can recover completely from this disease. Your doctor can even help you in case of long-term hyponatremia. Adults who are in hospital for a longer duration may face worse outcomes.

When Should I Call my Healthcare Provider?

You must contact your healthcare provider immediately in case of severe or mild hyponatremia symptoms. It will be a medical emergency if you face a quick fall down of sodium level; in such a condition, you must get hyponatremia treatment as soon as possible.  

What are the Types of Hyponatremia?

There are various types of hyponatremia that you should know:

• Euvolemic Hyponatremia: In this condition, your body's sodium level remains constant, but the amount of water in your body increases.
• Hypervolemic Hyponatremia: Here, the increase in total body water is larger as compared to the increase in sodium level
• Hypovolemic Hyponatremia: In this, the decrease in body water is higher than the decrease in body sodium level.
• Dilutional hyponatremia: This type of low sodium level in the body is termed 'water intoxication,' which happens due to excessive water intake instead of electrolytes containing necessary ingredients like sodium, potassium, and calcium. Many people, especially athletes, drink excess water quickly, which dilutes blood sodium levels.
• Hyposmolar hyponatremia: This condition arises due to a low amount of electrolytes in the body, including nutrients, sodium, and proteins. 

Conclusion

Hyponatremia is caused because of a low level of sodium in your blood. This low sodium may be because of conditions like kidney failure, liver disease, heart failure, etc. Hyponatremia symptoms may also be seen in athletes who frequently take part in sports events. Although hyponatremia can be reversed if diagnosed at the mild stage or even can be treated swiftly at the severe stage. However, a blood test is an appropriate step to know the sodium level in your body before opting for hyponatremia therapy. So, book an appointment to know your sodium level with Metropolis today and get an accurate report from the comfort of your home.