Five cases of severe hyponatremia in the elderly successfully treated with low doses of hydrocortisone.

Abstract

Hyponatremia is commonly defined as a serum sodium concentration of 135 mEq/L or less, which is reported to occur in 0.97-2.48% of hospitalized patients. Especially, in elderly patients, severe hyponatremia is sporadically developed without any complaints. Although a variety of causes of hyponatremia are documented, diagnosis of functional adrenal insufficiency is difficult because of a lack of the diagnostic criteria. In this case report, we present five cases of hyponatremia in the elderly, who were presumed to have functional adrenal insufficiency, successfully treated with low doses of hydrocortisone.

• Authors: Masahiro Takei, Satoru Suzuki, Ai Sato, Masanori Yamazaki, Shun Shi, Yoshihiko Sato, Kiyoshi Hashizume
• Journal: Geriatrics & gerontology international (Geriatr Gerontol Int) Vol. 9 Issue 4 Pg. 391-4 (Dec 2009) ISSN: 1447-0594 [Electronic] Japan
• PMID: 20002759 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents
• Hydrocortisone

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents (administration & dosage)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Female
• Humans
• Hydrocortisone (administration & dosage)
• Hyponatremia (drug therapy)
• Hypotension
• Male