Hyponatremia - Complications

Complications

Chronic hyponatremia can lead to such complications as neurological impairments. These neurological impairments most often affect gait and attention and can lead to falls, osteoporosis, and decreased reaction time.

Complications for chronic hyponatremia are most dangerous for geriatric patients. Falls are the leading cause of deaths related to injury among people 65 years or older. In a recent study the incidence of hyponatremia in elderly patients with large-bone fractures was more than double that of non-fracture patients. Recent work by Verbalis et al. suggests that hyponatremia induces osteoporosis and found the adjusted odds ratio for developing osteoporosis to be 2.87 times higher among adults with mild hyponatremia compared to those without.

Acute hyponatremia can lead to much more serious complications including brain disease, brain herniation, cardiopulmonary arrest, cerebral edema, seizures, coma, and death.