My Health More people may be hospitalized with low sodium levels due to climate change www.medicalnewstoday.com |Written by Anna Guildford, Ph.D. on April 1, 2022 — Fact checked by Harriet Pike, Ph.D.
Sodium is an electrolyte that is essential for a wide range of have also been linked to an increase in the prevalence of hybody functions. ponatremiaTrusted Source in patients attending the emergency department in the summer months. Hyponatremia is a common condition that causes sodium levels in the blood to be lower than normal. In a recent study, researchers at the Karolinska Institute A new study has found that more people become hospital- quantified the effect of outdoor temperature on the risk of ized due to hyponatremia in temperatures above 15 degrees hospitalization with hyponatremia. Celcius. A nationwide study With climate change expected to increase temperatures The retrospective study, published in The Journal of Clinical across the world, the study predicts that an increase of 2 de- Endocrinology and Metabolism, included the entire Swedgrees Celsius could increase cases of hyponatremia by 13.9% ish population over 18 years of age. The human body needs sodium for various body functions — from conducting nerve impulses to regulating heart rate, The researchers used data from the National Patient Regisdigestion, brain activity, and blood pressure. ter (NPR) in Sweden to study the incidence rates for hyponatremia at a given outdoor temperature, in increments of 1 Hyponatremia is a common electrolyte disorder character- degree Celsius. They identified 11,213 patients hospitalized ized by low levels of sodium in the blood. The condition is with hyponatremia between October 2005 and December seen in up to 30% of all hospitalized patients. 2014. A person with mild 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 cases, symptoms can include confusion, seizures, and coma.
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 (SMHI).
Speaking to Medical News Today, study co-author Dr. Jakob Having diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, or having underlying Skov pointed out a critical finding: heart or liver disease and/or kidney failure can causeTrusted Source hyponatremia. Seasonal changes in temperatures TT 147 | April 5th - April 11th | 2022
