Low sodium or hyponatremia is a physiological condition wherein there is inadequate amount or concentration of sodium in extracellular fluids or the fluids outside the cell. Sodium is important for the body because it involves in the maintenance of blood pressure, muscle contraction, nerve functions, and among others. Low sodium concentration in extracellular fluids, causes fluid to enter the cell to maintain water balance inside and outside the cell. As a result, the cell swells to accommodate additional water. Cells in the body can handle the swelling except in the brain where the cells are confined in the skull. Swelling of the brain causes the symptoms of hyponatremia. Brain swelling can cause death if no medical attention is given to an individual with low body sodium.
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Three types of Low Sodium or Hyponatremia
1. Euvolemic hyponatremia- Total body water increases but body sodium remains the same.
2. Hypervolemic hyponatremia- The sodium and water content of the body increase but water gain is greater
3. Hypovolemic hyponatremia- Water and sodium are both lost from the body, but loss of sodium is greater.
Low Sodium can be Side Effect of Certain Illnesses and Diseases
• Vomiting and Diarrhea
-Sodium is an important electrolyte involved in digestion and it is continuously recycled by absorption. Too much vomiting and diarrhea cause the body to lose sodium.
• Sweating
-Sodium is released through the sweat.
• Congestive heart failure
• Liver cirrhosis
• Kidney Diseases
-Inability of the kidney to reabsorb sodium. Sodium is lost through the urine. An example is the salt-wasting nephropathy.
• Taking medications called diuretics which cause frequent urination.
Low Sodium can be Side Effect of Drug Interaction
• Interaction of Diachlor and Tegretol
• Interaction of Aldochlor and Tegretol
• Interaction of Chlorothiazide and Tegretol
• Interaction of Naturetin and Tegretol
• Interaction of Bendroflumethazine and Tegretol
• Interaction of Tegretol and Thiazide
Low Sodium can be Side Effect of Certain Drugs, Medications, or Substances
• Deavynfar
• Insogen
• Novo-Propamide
• Carboplatin
• Diabenese
• Chlorpropamide
• Apo-Chlorpropamide
• Prozac
• Celexa
• Paxil
• Zoloft
• Trileptal
Symptoms of Low Sodium
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Convulsions
• Irritability
• Appetite loss
• Muscle spasm
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Restlessness
• Confusion
• Coma
• Hallucination [ad#afterpost]