Hyponatremia for Everyone. #5. Signs and Symptoms of Hyponatremia

By Second Medical Opinions PLC | SMO Blog Kidney | 24 Nov 2019

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This post appeared here, as part of a series. The author is the same. The series was published as an ebook, which you can find in Amazon Kindle format and Apple Books Format.

The signs and symptoms of hyponatremia vary from being totally subclinical to death. The great majority of the signs and symptoms of hyponatremia are neurological in nature. The reason for this was explained in the previous chapter. The lower the sodium concentration in plasma, the more apparent the symptoms are. However, in cases of hyponatremia lasting several days, the neurons develop mechanisms of adaptation in order to decrease cell swelling1.

When the sodium level is between 130 and 134 mEq/L, the symptoms are usually minimal. They may only be uncovered by psychological testing. Between 125 and 129 mEq/L the patient usually has trouble with attention and concentration and may start being more prone to falls (and fractures) and having muscle cramps. When the sodium concentration goes between 120-124 mEq/L, all the previous symptoms become more apparent and a encephalopathic picture starts showing. Between 115 and 119 mEq/L there is an increased risk of seizures added to encephalopathy and at values lower than 115 mEq/L the risk of death is significantly increased.