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Answered by Dr. Howard E. LeWine
M.D. Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing · 40 years of experience · USA
Hyponatremia is the medical term for a low concentration of sodium in the blood. There are many possible causes of hyponatremia. While staying well hydrated throughout the day is important, the main way to prevent your blood sodium level from getting low is to NOT over drink plain water. This is especially true if you have been exercising for a long period of time and sweating heavily, or it is just very hot outside. Also people who take a thiazide type diuretic (water pill) or an antidepressant, such as a selective serotonin uptake inhibitor (SSRI), are more prone to hyponatremia.
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Answered by Dr. Alex T. Thomas
MD · 40 years of experience · USA
The precautions which can prevent hyponatremia are quite simple and essential. Drinking an abundant amount of water, precaution during intensive activities, taking juice and other sports drinks during the heavy workout or games are the basic precautions to avoid such conditions.
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Answered by Dr. J Vinay Reddy
MBBS · 4.5 years of experience · India
Hyponatremia is a condition in which there is decrease of sodium levels in the blood below the normal level, i.e. Below 135 mEq/L. It can cause a wide range of effects like CNS, cardiovascular, muscular. Maintaining the required amount of salt in your daily diet can prevent it. Not drinking excess water more than your daily requirement helps. Identifying and rectifying conditions which cause sodium loss, commonly severe vomiting and diarrhea.
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Answered by Dr. Sarath Chandr Rellu
MBBS · 2 years of experience · India
Hyponatremia is a condition with low sodium in blood. To prevent hyponatremia, you have to know the symptoms of hyponatremia, which include nausea with vomiting, fatigue, headache, confusion, cramps, irritability, weakness. Know the causes for hyponatremia, which include intake of medication like diuretics, health conditions like kidney and liver diseases, severe diarrhea or vomiting, harmony imbalances, drinking too much water. So to prevent hyponatremia, watch for any of the symptoms or conditions, use of diuretics, pay attention to amount of water you are drinking, look for any health conditions which may cause low sodium levels in blood, like adrenal gland insufficiency.
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