Too Much Salt Can Lead to Coma, Here’s What You Need to Know About Hypernatremia
A 19-year-old man who consumed a quart of soy sauce reportedly went into a coma and almost died due to hypernatremia.
A 19-year-old man who consumed a quart of soy sauce reportedly went into a coma and almost died due to the excessive salt in his body.
This case report, which came out in 2013, specified that the young man was the first person known to have intentionally overdosed on a high amount of salt and survived without any lingering neurological problem.
According to the doctor who treated the man, Dr. David Carlberg, excessive salt in the blood or a condition, also known as hypernatremia, is typically detected in an individual who has a psychiatric condition and develops a healthy appetite for the condiment mentioned.
Carlberg explained that the said condition is dangerous as it leads the brain to lose water. More so, the doctor added, when there is more than enough salt in the bloodstream, water moves out of the tissues of the body. Additionally, the water moves into the blood through a process called osmosis, explained Carlberg.
The team of medical experts urgently started to flush the salt out of the man's system through the administration of a solution of water and sugar dextrose using a nasal tube.
ALSO READ: Case Report at Children's National Hospital Raises Concern for Resistance to Antibiotic
Hypernatremia Symptoms
Health experts say hypernatremia may not show any symptoms. This means that an individual may not be aware he is already suffering from such a condition.
However, the main symptom of this disorder is excessive thirst. Other indications can be exhaustion and confusion.
Someone who is experiencing advanced hypernatremia may suffer from the twitching of muscle or spasm since sodium is essential for the muscle and nerves' function.
If a body has so much salt in it, there may be an occurrence of coma and seizures like what happened to the young man in the case report.
Causes and Dangers
The leading causes of this condition include excessive salt in the blood or inadequate liquid in it. Some other conditions can lead to hypernatremia or increase its possibility.
Among these circumstances include dehydration, vomiting, kidney disease, unmanageable diabetes, extreme diarrhea, dementia, certain drugs, delirium, and fever, among others.
Medical reports indicate that some people are more likely to acquire hypernatremia than others. Furthermore, at-risk populaces may include those who receive IV or intravenous treatments, people who have altered mental conditions, the elderly, and infants.
DON'T MISS THIS: Can Energy Drinks Cause Heart Attacks? Here's What You Should Know Before Consumption
Possible Complications
Lack of treatment can result in hypernatremia having serious complications. Among the most dangerous complications can be brain hemorrhage, which can take place because of veins that rupture in the brain. If untreated, this condition can reach a 15- to 20-percent mortality rate.
Someone who has unexplained exhaustion, bad temper, or other mood swings, consultation with the doctor is much needed as these may be hypernatremia symptoms.
More often than not, an individual won't realize that he has the condition until he gets examined by the doctor or goes through a urine or blood test.
Treatment for Hypernatremia
All treatments for this condition engage correction fluid and sodium balance in the body. This means treatment for the underlying condition that leads to increased sodium levels in the blood.
The specific type of treatment usually differs according to the underlying reason for the occurrence of hypernatremia.
For instance, if an individual is struggling to control his diabetes, his doctor is possible to recommend ways to make the condition manageable.
Another treatment for hypernatremia includes a simple increase in fluid intake, for one. Meanwhile, for mild cases, an increase in the consumption of water can help restore proper sodium balance in the blood.
In more severe cases, an individual may require IV fluids to have proper levels of sodium restored. He may need a doctor as well, to monitor if there is an improvement in sodium levels or adjust the concentration of fluid, consequently.
IN CASE YOU MISSED THIS: Craving for Baking Powder? You May Be Suffering From Pica Disease
Aug 06, 2020 12:08 PM EDT
