Abstract
Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disturbance seen in the elderly. For the vast majority of patients, the serum sodium is mildly decreased and has been a chronic condition. Most clinicians have viewed mild, chronic hyponatremia in elderly patients as a benign condition of little significance. However, recent studies have clearly demonstrated an association between hyponatremia and increased risk for mortality, falls, gait abnormalities, fractures, osteoporosis and cognitive abnormalities. Furthermore, the availability of a safe, oral medication to treat hyponatremia (the vasopressin receptor type 2 antagonists) will allow for the assessment of whether correction of hyponatremia is associated with improvements in outcomes in elderly patients. This finding could have important public health implications.
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Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.
Notes
MDMA: 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine.