Hyponatremia

-

Reinagel, M. (2016, March/April). Who is affected by hyponatremia? Food & Nutrition. Page 14.


Hyponatremia is a life threatening condition that occurs when blood sodium levels drop below 135 mmol/L.  Excessive amounts of sodium are lost through urination, perspiration, vomiting or diarrhea, resulting in hyponatremia.  Overhydration, medications or certain health conditions, such as congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone can also cause dilutional hyponatremia.  Athletes, specifically female athletes who participate in long-duration sports most often experience hyponatremia.  Certain medications such as diuretics may deplete the body of electrolytes and therefore sodium, leading to low levels in the blood. Children and the elderly who receive intravenous administration of hypotonic fluids in excessive quantities or speeds can cause dilutional hyponatremia.  It’s also important to closely monitor patients who receive parental nutrition in effort to maintain proper fluid and electrolyte balance.

-AC

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Are All Sugars Created Equal?

-
Image
Are All Sugars Created Equal?  I think one of the most confusing nutrition topics for people is sugar. With so many conflicting stories out there, it’s difficult to separate the facts from the fiction. Not to mention, the types of sugars are endless. How do we know what’s best for our bodies? White or brown sugar? Cane or raw? Should we just go with Stevia instead? Is it even okay to consume artificial sweeteners? Should we avoid foods with high amounts of natural sugar in them? Each answer only seems to lead to another question!  Let’s start off with distinguishing the purpose of sugar in the first place. Do our bodies even need it? The short answer is yes! Sugars are carbohydrates (what we commonly call “carbs”), one of the three main macronutrients that our bodies need for fuel to function and survive. One of the major ways to categorize sugar is by separating the “natural” sugars from the “added” sugars. Natural sugars are, well, naturally found in foods. They give us the energy th
Read more

Milk Mythbusters

-
Image
Just like with any nutrition topic, the facts about milk can become convoluted pretty quickly. Whether you drink milk for the protein, the nutrients, the flavor, or just like to switch it up, there are pros and cons to every kind. Here are some quick nutritional facts about each type to help you decide which is best for you. Animal-Based Milks  Whole Milk: The original diary drink. It gets a bad rap, but what whole milk has going for it, is that it’s in its proper nutritional form. Whole milk contains all of its original fat-soluble vitamins, A, E, D, & K, along with the fat to help you absorb them all. It also has the proper concentrations and ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids, or your omega-3s and omega-6s, so that they are metabolized as they should be. The downside is that whole milk is calorically dense, meaning that a little goes a long way. You don’t need much to get what you need, so just don’t overdo it!  2% Milk: The fat content of 2% milk is about half of that in who
Read more