Pune: An 80-year-old man recently experienced sudden dizziness and discomfort, leading to his admission to a private hospital. Blood tests revealed a significant drop in his sodium levels, which were at 101 millimoles per liter instead of the normal 135 to 145. With prompt treatment, his sodium levels were stabilized.
Doctors have observed a growing issue of sodium deficiency among seniors over sixty, affecting nearly 70% of the elderly population. Medically, this condition is called hyponatremia.
It can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, confusion, fatigue, restlessness, irritability, drowsiness, muscle weakness, coma, and seizures.
There is also a lack of awareness about sodium deficiency in old age, leading many patients to go unnoticed. Doctors emphasize the need for increased awareness among people to address this deficiency.
Dr. Samrat Shah, an internal medicine expert, stated that normal blood sodium levels in adults should be between 135 to 145 millimoles per liter. Post-COVID, there has been an increase in heart disease cases.
When there is a sodium deficiency in the blood, the amount of water in the body increases, causing swelling. A person can even go into a coma, with the brain being most affected.
In the past two months, Dr. Shah has seen 10 patients with similar confusion, three of whom had seizures, and two had speech repetition issues.
Sodium plays a crucial role in maintaining blood pressure. It helps balance the fluids in the body, keeps muscles and nerves active, and prevents kidney failure, heart failure, lung, liver, and brain issues, and hormonal imbalances.
