- 期刊
老年族群的低鈉血症：病例報告
Hyponatremia of Elderly Population: A Case Report
摘要
鈉離子是人體內重要的電解質之一，負責維持人體水分平衡，並幫助神經肌肉運作。正常人體血鈉的數值範圍介於135－145 mmol/L。低鈉血症（hyponatremia）的定義是血清鈉離子濃度小於135 mmol/L（mEg/L）。老年人發生水分與電解質平衡問題的機會比年輕人大很多，特別是低鈉血症其原因是多重的，低血鈉也是住院病人當中常見的現象之一，而低鈉血症往往會造成住院中的病人提高其死亡風險。老年人本身較易罹患慢性疾病也是其中的一個原因之一，隨著年齡的增長，除了影響體內水分與電解質的調節能力之外，也降低這些生理適應機制對外來藥物、疾病或生理壓力的承受能力。低血鈉的症狀包含輕度的低血鈉，可能會完全沒有明顯症狀，中度低血鈉則可能有倦怠、噁心、頭痛、嗜睡等症狀；但如果血漿鈉離子濃度快速下降至120 mEq/L以下（稱之為嚴重低血鈉），則可能發生中樞神經系統損害，而使死亡率增加。低血鈉的治療一般有限水、給予生理食鹽水、或抗利尿激素拮抗劑等方式改善水分滯留的現象，當然找出低血鈉的原因並治療原發性疾病也是相當重要的事情。
並列摘要
Sodium is a very important electrolyte in the human body, which can maintain the body's water balance and help kept neuromuscular functions. The normal blood sodium value range from 135 to 145mmol/L, and hyponatremia is defined as a serum sodium concentration less than 135mmol/L (mEg/L). Elder population are more likely than younger's to develop problems with water and electrolytes balance, especially hyponatremia. The reasons are multiple. Hyponatremia is a common symptom in hospitalized patients, and hyponatremia also in hospitalized patients often increases mortality rate. The elderly themselves are more prone to chronic diseases, and affecting the balance of water and electrolytes. Elderly people also reduce the response to these mechanisms to medications, diseases or physiological stress. Symptoms of hyponatremia include mild hyponatremia without apparent symptoms; moderate hyponatremia may have symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, headache, and lethargy. However, if the plasma sodium ion concentration rapidly falls below 120meq/L (which called severe hyponatremia), and the patients may cause central nervous system damage, resulting in increased mortality rate.