1/203. Lessons to be learned: a case study approach diuretic therapy and a laxative causing electrolyte and water imbalance, loss of attention, a fall and subsequent fractures of the tibia and fibula in an elderly lady.The case is described of a hitherto well, alert and intelligent lady of 85 years of age, who commenced medication with diuretics--prescribed for mild congestive cardiac failure; she developed constipation consequent upon the diuresis and dehydration thereby provoked. As a result she began to take, unknown to her general practitioner, regular and increasing amounts of laxatives. At about this time she was noted by her son to become "rapidly senile"--with the result that she fell on account of losing her normally good concentration and attention; she sustained fractures of the right tibia and fibula. Shortly after admission to hospital she was premedicated, anaesthetised and operated upon, following which there was a postoperative regimen comprising several litres of low sodium isotonic infusions, all given intravenously. She was found at this point to be severely hyponatraemic with a low serum osmolality, but following the institution of water restriction rapidly improved as her serum sodium rose again; there was an accompanying massive diuresis as the previously retained water was voided. Concomitant with the serum sodium rise her mental concentration and attention regained their former levels. The biochemical and cellular mechanisms underlying this patient's symptoms are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = water (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/203. death from hyponatremia as a result of acute water intoxication in an Army basic trainee.Several reports during the past 15 years have described hyponatremia as a result of excessive water intake by athletes during endurance races. The high rates of fluid consumption have been attributed to the desire of athletes to prevent heat injury. The military has adopted guidelines for programmed drinking to maintain performance and minimize the risk of heat casualties. As military personnel increase their fluid intake, their risk of hyponatremia as a result of water overload increases. A potentially life-threatening complication is acute water intoxication. We report the first known death of an Army basic trainee as a result of acute water intoxication. The misinterpretation of his symptoms as those of dehydration and heat injury led to continued efforts at oral hydration until catastrophic cerebral and pulmonary edema developed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 640.46301440742keywords = water intoxication, intoxication, water (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/203. Severe hyponatraemia in an amiloride/hydrochlorothiazide-treated patient.A 85-year-old woman treated with, among other drugs, a thiazide diuretic presented with a severe hyponatraemia. She met several of the criteria for SIADH and, besides drugs, no cause for SIADH was found. After stopping the thiazide diuretic and restricting fluid intake the patient recovered fully. It was later proved that the thiazide was the cause of the water intoxication by rechallenging the patient with a single dose of amiloride/hydrochlorothiazide 5/50 mg. This "thiazide provocation test" showed its usefulness in the differential diagnosis of suspected SIADH. Moreover, the test demonstrated the paradoxal effect of thiazide diuretics to cause water retention in susceptible patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 106.85494684568keywords = water intoxication, intoxication, water (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/203. Hyponatraemia: biochemical and clinical perspectives.Hyponatraemia is a common bio-chemical abnormality, occurring in about 15% of hospital inpatients. It is often associated with severe illness and relatively poor outcome. Pathophysiologically, hyponatraemia may be spurious, dilutional, depletional or redistributional. Particularly difficult causes and concepts of hyponatraemia are the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis and the sick cell syndrome, which are discussed here in detail. Therapy should always be targeted at the underlying disease process. 'Hyponatraemic symptoms' are of doubtful importance, and may be more related to water overload and/or the causative disease, than to hyponatraemia per se. Artificial elevation of plasma sodium by saline infusion carries the risk of induction of osmotic demyelination (central pontine myelinolysis).- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.16666666666667keywords = water (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/203. Hyponatraemic convulsion secondary to desmopressin treatment for primary enuresis.The case of a 6 year old child who presented with convulsions and coma after unsupervised self administration of intranasal desmopressin (DDAVP) for nocturnal enuresis is presented. Children with enuresis can be embarassed by their condition and may believe that multiple doses of their nasal spray may bring about a rapid resolution. water intoxication is an uncommon but serious adverse effect of treatment with intranasal DDAVP. These patients may present with seizure, mental state changes, or both. Basic management consists of stopping the drug, fluid restriction, and suppressive treatment for seizures. Recovery is usually rapid and complete. Administration of the nasal spray in children should be supervised by parents to prevent highly motivated children from accidental overdose. The risks of high fluid intake need to be carefully explained to both parents and children.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.20948135515847keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/203. Fatal child abuse by forced water intoxication.BACKGROUND: Although water intoxication leading to brain damage is common in children, fatal child abuse by forced water intoxication is virtually unknown. methods: During the prosecution of the homicide of an abused child by forced water intoxication, we reviewed all similar cases in the united states where the perpetrators were found guilty of homicide. In 3 children punished by forced water intoxication who died, we evaluated: the types of child abuse, clinical presentation, electrolytes, blood gases, autopsy findings, and the fate of the perpetrators. FINDINGS: Three children were forced to drink copious amounts of water (over 6 L). All had seizures, emesis, and coma, presenting to hospitals with hypoxemia (PO2 = 44 /- 8 mm Hg) and hyponatremia (plasma Na = 112 /- 2 mmol/L). Although all showed evidence of extensive physical abuse, the history of forced water intoxication was not revealed to medical personnel, thus none of the 3 children were treated for their hyponatremia. All 3 patients died and at autopsy had cerebral edema and aspiration pneumonia. The perpetrators of all three deaths by forced water intoxication were eventually tried and convicted. INTERPRETATION: Forced water intoxication is a new generally fatal syndrome of child abuse that occurs in children previously subjected to other types of physical abuse. Patients present with coma, hyponatraemia, and hypoxemia of unknown etiology. If health providers were made aware of the association, the hyponatremia is potentially treatable.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1173.7377486358keywords = water intoxication, intoxication, water (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/203. hyponatremia-associated rhabdomyolysis.BACKGROUND: hyponatremia is the most frequent electrolyte disorder. However, hyponatremia rarely results from excessive water intake, unless the kidney is unable to excrete free water, such as in patients on thiazide diuretics; in addition, hyponatremia is an uncommon cause of rhabdomyolysis. methods: We present a 51-year-old hypertensive woman on chronic hydrochlorothiazide therapy who developed acute water intoxication and severe myalgias. RESULTS: The patient developed acute hypotonic hyponatremia and subsequent rhabdomyolysis. We discuss the mechanisms responsible for the development of hyponatremia and its association with rhabdomyolysis. CONCLUSION: Muscle enzymes should be monitored in patients with acute hyponatremia who develop muscle pain, and hyponatremia-induced rhabdomyolysis must be considered in patients with myalgias receiving thiazide diuretics.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 107.02161351235keywords = water intoxication, intoxication, water (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/203. Severe hyponatremia caused by hypothalamic adrenal insufficiency.A 60-year-old woman was admitted with severe hyponatremia. Basal values of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), thyroid hormone and cortisol were normal on admission. Impairment of water diuresis was observed by water loading test. Initially, we diagnosed her condition as the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). By provocation test, we finally confirmed that the hyponatremia was caused by hypothalamic adrenal insufficiency. The basal values of ACTH and cortisol might not be sufficient to exclude the possibility of adrenal insufficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate adrenal function by provocation test or to re-evaluate it after recovery from hyponatremia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.33333333333333keywords = water (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/203. Severe rhabdomyolysis following massive ingestion of oolong tea: caffeine intoxication with coexisting hyponatremia.A 36-y-o patient with schizophrenia, who had consumed gradually increasing quantities of oolong tea that eventually reached 15 L each day, became delirious and was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. After abstinence from oolong tea his delirium resolved. He was transferred to our hospital when he was discovered to have acute renal failure with hyponatremia (118 mEq/L) and severe rhabdomyolysis (creatine phosphokinase, 227,200 IU/L). On admission rhabdomyolysis had begun to improve despite a worsening of the hyponatremia (113 mEq/L). With aggressive supportive therapy, including hypertonic saline administration and hemodialysis, the patient fully recovered without detectable sequelae. The clinical course suggests that caffeine, which is present in oolong tea, was mainly responsible for the rhabdomyolysis as well as the delirium, although severe hyponatremia has been reported to cause rhabdomyolysis on rare occasions. We hypothesize that caffeine toxicity injured the muscle cells, which were fragile due to the potassium depletion induced by the coexisting hyponatremia, to result in unusually severe rhabdomyolysis. The possibility of severe rhabdomyolysis should be considered in a patient with water intoxication due to massive ingestion of caffeine-containing beverages.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 107.52620559965keywords = water intoxication, intoxication, water (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/203. Inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone after cerebral injury.A case has been presented in which a patient sustained a closed head injury with concomitant maxillofacial injuries; early signs of water intoxication and ISADH developed six days after injury. This disorder was corrected by restricting free water intake for six days until equilibration occurred. Successful reduction of the facial fractures was accomplished after stabilization of the patient's neurological condition and correction of her metabolic disorder. The ISADH and resulting hyponatremia have been documented in a variety of disease states including trauma to the central nervous system. Disruption or irritation to the hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal system has been proposed as the mechanism of dysfunction after cerebral injury. The results of the secretion of inappropriate amounts of ADH relative to renal function and homeostatis have been discussed. Clinical and laboratory diagnosis as well as the elective and emergency management of ISADH have been reviewed. The fact that the sequelae of this abnormal metabolic state may mimic or mask the neurological deterioration which may follow cerebral injury is significant. This may contribute to the difficulty in making a correct diagnosis and designing proper therapy. The problem is basically one of differentiating a correctable metabolic disorder from a lesion that can be fatal unless surgically removed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 106.85494684568keywords = water intoxication, intoxication, water (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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