Hey everybody, this is Steve Carroll, and you're listening to the Amb Basic podcast.

Today we're doing a topic that has been suggested by a few listeners, an episode on electrolytes.

In order to make this relevant to the ED, today we'll talk about one of the two most common

electrolyte disorders that we see in the ED, hyponetremia.

In the next episode, we'll talk about

hyperculemia, probably the second most common electrolyte disorder that we see. The management of

hyponotremia and hyperclemia can be confusing because everyone has a different opinion on how to

manage it. So today, I'll talk about my views on managing hyponetremia, and the next episode

will be about hyperculemia. As always, his podcast doesn't represent the views or opinions

the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army, or the Fort Hood Post Command. First, let's talk

about hyponetremia. Here's the one thing that you have to keep in mind about hyponetremia.

As long as the patient is in the

ED, the best thing to do about it is nothing at all. Well, maybe not nothing. Let's say that

the best thing to do is to not try to correct it. The only time we would be looking to actively

correct someone's sodium level in the ED is if they're actively seizing due to a low sodium

or if they're really altered, and we know that the patient's sodium is the most likely cause of it.

Other than those two situations, the best thing to do about hyponotremia in the ED is nothing at all.

The reason why I'm stressing this point so early is because you can get into some

real trouble if you start trying to fix lab values and lose sight of the patient's clinical situation.

Let's back up a bit and talk about the usual situation in the ED where the patient is stable

and doing fine. Then we'll talk about all the funny and exciting critical care related to severe hyponetremia.

Hyponotremia can present in a variety of ways.

...