{"id":3565,"date":"2022-04-01T20:00:41","date_gmt":"2022-04-01T20:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linksus.net\/climate-change-may-cause-spike-in-low-sodium-related-hospitalizations-medical-news-today\/"},"modified":"2022-04-01T20:00:41","modified_gmt":"2022-04-01T20:00:41","slug":"climate-change-may-cause-spike-in-low-sodium-related-hospitalizations-medical-news-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/2022\/04\/01\/climate-change-may-cause-spike-in-low-sodium-related-hospitalizations-medical-news-today\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate change may cause spike in low sodium-related hospitalizations – Medical News Today"},"content":{"rendered":"

The human body needs sodium for various body functions \u2014 from conducting nerve impulses to regulating heart rate, digestion, brain activity, and blood pressure<\/a>.
Hyponatremia<\/a> is a common<\/a> electrolyte disorder characterized by low levels of sodium<\/a> in the blood. The condition is seen in up to 30% of all hospitalized patients.
A person with mild<\/a> hyponatremia may have no symptoms but if sodium levels drop too low or too fast, symptoms might include difficulty concentrating, headaches, and nausea. In more severe<\/a> cases, symptoms can include confusion, seizures, and coma<\/a>.
Having diarrhea<\/a>, vomiting, sweating, or having underlying heart or liver disease and\/or kidney failure can cause<\/a><\/hl-trusted-source> hyponatremia. Seasonal changes in temperatures have also been linked to an increase in the prevalence of hyponatremia<\/a><\/hl-trusted-source> in patients attending the emergency department in the summer months.
In a recent study<\/a>, researchers at the Karolinska Institute quantified the effect of outdoor temperature on the risk of hospitalization with hyponatremia.
The retrospective<\/a> study, published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism<\/em>, included the entire Swedish population over 18 years of age.
The researchers used data from the National Patient Register<\/a> (NPR) in Sweden to study the incidence rates for hyponatremia at a given outdoor temperature, in increments of 1 degree Celsius. They identified 11,213 patients hospitalized with hyponatremia between October 2005 and December 2014.
The researchers retrieved data on the 24-hour mean temperature of the day when each patient was admitted to hospital from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute<\/a> (SMHI).
Speaking to Medical News Today<\/em>, study co-author Dr. Jakob Skov<\/a> pointed out a critical finding:
\u201c[T]he risk of severe hyponatremia appears to increase dramatically above certain temperature thresholds, and [the] elderly (unsurprisingly) are at greatest risk.\u201d
On the hottest days, women and those over 80 were at the highest risk. Those over 80 were 15 times more likely to be hospitalized due to hyponatremia compared to cooler days.<\/strong><\/strong>
The team also noted that the incidence of hyponatremia was the highest over the summer months and decreased gradually toward the winter, with January seeing the lowest numbers.
The study estimates that an average increase in temperature of 1 degree Celsius will lead to a 6.3% increase in the incidence of hospitalizations due to hyponatremia. An increase of 2 degrees, according to projections, would result in a 13.9% increase.<\/strong>
Discussing<\/strong>the mechanism behind the rise in cases, Dr. Skov told MNT<\/em>:
\u201cOversimplified, hyponatremia can be the result of sodium deficiency (low intake or high losses) or excess water. [T]here are two plausible explanations for heat-related hyponatremia\u2014salt loss from sweating resulting in a sodium deficit or excessive hydration due to an exaggerated fear of dehydration<\/a>. Both conditions can be easily treated, but we need to know which one is responsible.\u201d
Dr. Skov speculated that for the elderly in nursing homes, overhydration might be the most likely cause, but more data was needed to confirm.
MNT<\/em> spoke to Joseph A Vassalotti, <\/a>MD, chief medical officer for the National Kidney Foundation<\/a> and clinical professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who was not involved in the study. He explained that hyponatremia is \u201ca relatively common condition in up to 30% of hospitalized patients that may occur independently of a kidney problem.\u201d
\u201cThe results suggesting an association with increased hyponatremia hospitalization with global warming are interesting,\u201d he said.
Describing the study as \u201chypothesis-generating,\u201d Vassalotti cautioned that \u201c[It] will require investigation in other climates, countries and with more contemporary data after 2014 to confirm.\u201d
When asked about the next steps for the research, Dr. Skov explained to MNT<\/em> that the team will look to expand their findings to other countries with warmer climates.
\u201cThe threshold of 15\u00b0C observed in Sweden (above which the risk increased rapidly) is unlikely to be relevant in warmer climates,\u201d he said.
His team will now seek to uncover whether there is a different threshold in regions with higher temperatures.<\/strong>
The study suggests that rising temperatures over the coming decades could increase the number of patients hospitalized with hyponatremia by around 10%. Hence, the researchers say, countries will need to employ clinical monitoring strategies to protect the vulnerable and reduce their risk.
\u201c[T]his study highlights the risk of hyponatremia in relation to high temperatures in vulnerable populations. Consequently, these individuals should be monitored for symptoms of hyponatremia during heat waves,\u201d Dr. Skov said.
However, he also acknowledged a shortcoming of the study:
\u201c<\/strong>By design, the study can\u2019t explore potential mechanisms of hyponatremia (that could result in changed treatment recommendations).\u201d
In this special feature, MNT explore not only the direct effects of climate change on mental health, but also the importance of building resilience\u2026<\/a>
Low sodium in the blood can cause headaches and low energy. Treatment depends on the cause. Learn more about low sodium, risk factors, and prevention.<\/a>
A new study, analyzing the effects of climate change on public health, argues that reduced combustion of fossil fuel may provide 'substantial health\u2026<\/a>
According to a new study, low salt intake does not prevent hypertension and raises heart attack and stroke risk. However, some of its limitations have\u2026<\/a>
New guidelines suggest that athletes should only drink when they feel thirsty in order to prevent a potentially lethal condition known as\u2026<\/a>
OUR BRANDS<\/p>\n

source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The human body needs sodium for various body functions \u2014 from conducting nerve impulses to regulating heart rate, digestion, brain activity, and blood pressure.Hyponatremia is a common electrolyte disorder characterized by low levels of sodium in the blood. The condition is seen in up to 30% of all hospitalized patients.A person with mild hyponatremia may […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":869,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3565"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/869"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3565"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3565\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3565"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3565"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linksus2.linksus.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3565"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}