Electrolyte disturbance
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Important disturbances
The big uns are:
- Hyponatraemia & Hypernatraemia
- Hypokalaemia & Hyperkalaemia
- Hypocalcaemia & Hypercalcaemia
- Hypomagnesaemia
They mostly have their own pages, just click on them, or for a condensed version, see below.
The Table of Disturbance
| Blood Level | Causes | Symptoms | Investigations | Treatment | |
| Hyponatraemia | <130mmol/l (<120mmol/L is severe) | Kidney: Addison's, renal failure; Water loss: D&V; Oedema: nephrotic syndrome, heart failure; SIADH | |||
| Hypernatraemia | Not enough water: poor intake, diuretics, diabetes insipidus. | ||||
| Hypokalaemia | <3.5 mmol/l | Loss: thiazide and loop diuretics, Cushing's, D&V. Alkalosis causing shift into cells. | At first, muscle weakness and pain from rhabdomylolysis, and constipation. Later paralysis and paraesthaesia. | ||
| Hyperkalaemia | >3.5 mmol/l | ||||
| Hypocalcaemia | |||||
| Hypercalcaemia | |||||
| Hypomagnesaemia | <0.7 mmol/l | Diuretics, Alcohol abuse, D&V, Malnutrition, Aminoglycosides (gentamicin, tobramycin) and Post MI. | Arrhythmias, Tetany, Irritability | Blood test. 40% will have hypocalcaemia and 60% will have hypokalaemia. | Oral magnesium, or IV magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) |