Become a member
Quick Registration
Full Registration Benefits -
Free Homepages for Doctors
Free Homepages for Hospitals
Free Homepages for Medical Conference
Free Homepages for NGO's
Personal Health Record Creation
Access to all Medical Slides
Access to all Jobs & Products Sale
Fluid and Electrolyte Abnormalities Common in Elderly | |
|
| |
Fluid and
electrolyte levels in the body are carefully maintained through different
homeostasis mechanisms. These mechanisms are often altered in the elderly due
to a number of reasons like age-related changes, diseases and medications. This could lead to fluid
and electrolyte imbalance. This issue has been highlighted in a review article
published in the US Pharmacist.
Fluid balance is normally maintained by thirst perception, the kidneys and hormones comprising of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), atrial natriuretic hormone (ANH), and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.
Age-related changes, diseases (especially those that result in vomiting or diarrhea) and drugs can lead to fluid and electrolyte imbalance. In elderly, this could result in inability to bear stress and increase susceptibility to disease. It could also result in low sodium levels, with subsequent falls, unsteadiness, and cognitive impairment.
Thus, elderly should be explained the importance of maintaining adequate hydration with proper electrolyte balance.
Elderly individuals often do not drink enough water. It could be due to a lesser tendency to be thirsty or they could avoid water so as to keep their urinary incontinence under control. They may also find it difficult to access water due to disease and/or disability. Elderly people with Alzheimer's disease are at a particular risk for developing fluid disturbance.
Elderly people are often treated with multiple medicines. These medications could also affect their fluid balance. These include diuretics that increase urine output, ACE inhibitors, some antipsychotic drugs and antidepressants.
The authors suggest that doctors should be aware of this increased susceptibility in elderly to fluid and electrolyte imbalance. They have also encouraged doctors and hospital pharmacists to monitor the elderly to prevent serious consequences of this imbalance.
Reference:
Zagaria MA. Drug- and Age-Related Changes in Sodium and Water Regulation. US Pharm. 2011; 36(6):30-33.
Source-Medindia
| |
|
|
 Comment & Contribute
|
Related Links
Alzheimers Disease
Alzheimers disease is a common form of dementia affecting areas of the brain, which control memory and ...
Geriatry-Related Diseases
Ageing is referred to the accumulation of changes that brings a person closer to ...
Low Sodium Responsible Fractures and Falls in Elderly
A study presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 43rd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition says that older adults with even mildly ...
Health In Focus News
Discarded Kidneys Can Be Used to Generate New Kidneys for Transplantation - Dawn of a New Era in Regenerative Medicine Research
Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in the USA found that human kidneys discarded for transplant can potentially serve as a ...
Flavored Toothbrush for a Pleasant Morning
Toothbrushes are all set to take up a new role. They may soon deliver your morning coffee and get you up and alert even faster. Even more ...
Science Behind the Placebo Effect
Probably the most controversial, yet amazing aspect of medicine is the placebo effect. The idea that somehow, a simple sugar pill, or a drugless ...
Exposure to Toxic Waste can Ruin Health in Kids
Children dwelling at places with abundance of toxic waste in Indonesia, India and Philippines may develop high quantities of lead in their blood ...
Media Reports on Health Hazards May Affect the Health of Some People
Media reports on the adverse effects of substances or technologies can actually trigger the symptoms in some people who read the report, even ...
Some Myths and Realities About Your Body
Be it from a word-of-mouth, or a newspaper article, unreliable and mis-interpreted facts always keep us in the dark. To shed some light, we've ...
- Health News Index
- News Quick Links
| News Categories: |
| » | Researchers Say Timing of Cancer Radiation Therapy May Minimize Hair Loss |
| » | Mechanism Linking Key Inflammatory Marker to Cancer Found By Researchers |
| » | Study Highlights RNA-Based Classification System for Colorectal Cancer |
| » | Research Highlights Racial Disparities in the Surgical Management of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer |
| » | Bike Chain Fitted into Cancerous Jaw Saves Life of Single Mum |
| More Cancer News | |
|
Ask an Expert
