Abstract
Little is known about morbidity due to drug-related hyponatraemia,
despite hyponatraemia being a common side effect of frequently
prescribed medicines. We conducted a 12-month retrospective service
evaluation of hospital admissions due to drug-related hyponatraemia to
determine what drugs are contributing factors, describe patient
demographics and burden of morbidity. This was undertaken at a large
acute UK hospital and drug-related hyponatraemia was defined by
admissions where hyponatraemia was coded as the principal diagnosis and
specific medication(s) were recorded as either contributory factor(s) or
the principal cause of hyponatraemia and these medication(s) were
discontinued. Of 131 hyponatraemia admissions, 71 (54%) were
drug-related. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/ angiotensin
receptor blockers, proton pump inhibitors and thiazide diuretics were
drug classes most commonly associated. 61% of patients were women,
median age 81 (IQR15.5) years, 61% were on more than 2 implicated
drugs. The median length of stay was 4 (2-9 days IQR). This study
highlights that elderly woman on more than 2 drugs that can cause
hyponatraemia, constituted the majority of patients admitted to hospital
with drug-related hyponatraemia.