CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF HYPONATREMIA IN HOSPITALISED ELDERLY PATIENT’S RESIDING NEAR SEACOAST AREAS

Bellam Meghana, Maganti Yamuna, H. G. Revanasiddappa, Singanamala Chandrababu, Thota Madhulekha, Shaik Ahammad Basha and Pasupuleti Sreenivasa Rao*

ABSTRACT

Electrolyte disorder of sodium and water metabolism are commonly seen in clinical practice. Elderly age group are more prone for hyponatremia. Many of hospitalised elderly patients with severe hyponatremia association between causes, outcome is not clear. Hence, the present study is to understand the etiology, symptoms, and the outcome of elderly patients who were the residents of sea coast areas. A hospital based study conducted at Narayana Medical College & Hospital, which is situated within 10-15 km radius of seacoast in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, India. 50 subjects who were residing near sea coatal areas were selected, out of these hyponatremia was observed more in age group in between 71-80 years with 62% who were more compared to other age groups and 64% of male patients were observed comparatively more than females who were about 36% only. Findings indicate that hyponatremia incidence is high in patients with hypertension 46% followed by diabetes mellitus with 34%, altered sensorium is the most common CNS symptom observed in 32%. Most common cause of hyponatremia is SIADH which was caused by CVA followed by pneumonia. From the study it is observed that euvolemia and hypovolemia is more in symptomatic patients, hypervolemia is observed more in asymptomatic patients where mortality rate is also more in hypervolemic subjects. Thus the present study concludes that overall risk factors for hyponatremia are elderly age group with comorbidities like DM, HTN, causes like SIADH, hydration status. More frequently presented with neurological symptoms, SIADH is the largest subgroup with euvolemic hyponatremia. Majority of mortality were caused by underlying primary illnesses. This demands clinicians should be aware of prevalence, occurance of hyponatremia in elderly and approach in a systemic approach using simple standardized diagnostic methods, can considerably improve the assessment and therapy of hyponatremia.

Keywords: Hypernatremia, Elderly age group, seacoast areas.