title: Serum Sodium and Potassium Levels in Cerebro-vascular Accident Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aim to assess serum sodium and potassium levels in patients with different types of cerebro-vascular accidents (CVA) in comparison to control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comparative cross-sectional study conducted on patients admitted to the emergency department from January to August 2012. Control group consisted of patients admitted to emergency department due to common cold, urinary tract infection, low back pain, cluster, and tension headache or migraine. Serum sodium and potassium levels were measured via standard laboratory methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 77 patients in control group and 78 in CVA group. Forty nine patients from the CVA group had ischemic CVA, 11 had hemorrhagic CVA and 18 suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Serum sodium level in control group was significantly lower than in patients with TIA, ischemic CVA, and hemorrhagic CVA (P < 0.001). Serum potassium level in control group was higher than patients with TIA, ischemic CVA, and hemorrhagic CVA (P < 0.001). Patients with hemorrhagic CVA showed significantly lower serum potassium level than patients with TIA and ischemic CVA (P < 0.001). Correspondingly, it was observed that serum sodium to potassium ratio was higher in patients with TIA, ischemic CVA, and hemorrhagic CVA (P < 0.001). In patients with hemorrhagic CVA serum sodium to potassium ratio was higher when compared to patients with TIA and ischemic CVA (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that higher serum sodium and lower serum potassium level may be associated with higher incidence of CVA. Further studies are paramount to elucidate the role of serum electrolyte levels in vascular events.
authors: Department of Emergency, Imam-Khomeini Hospital, Keshavarz Boulevard, 1419733141 Tehran, Iran.
authors: Farahmand
authors: F
authors: Farahmand
authors: Babak
authors: B
authors: Choobi Anzali
authors: Ramin
authors: R
authors: Heshmat
authors: Hamed-Basir
authors: HB
authors: Ghafouri
authors: Sepehr
authors: S
authors: Hamedanchi
keywords: cerebro-vascular accident; cross-sectional studies; emergencies; potassium; sodium
references: Stroke. 2000 Jul;31(7):1532-7
references: 10884449
references: J Hypertens. 1991 May;9(5):465-73
references: 1649867
references: Am J Hypertens. 2000 Sep;13(9):1014-20
references: 10981552
references: Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Jul;88(1):195-202
references: 18614741
references: BMJ. 2007 Apr 28;334(7599):885-8
references: 17449506
references: Stroke. 2001 Jul;32(7):1473-80
references: 11441188
references: Stroke. 1979 Sep-Oct;10(5):542-7
references: 505496
references: JAMA. 2011 May 4;305(17):1777-85
references: 21540421
references: J Hypertens Suppl. 1984 Dec;2(3):S363-6
references: 6599683
references: Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1986 Jun;64(6):840-8
references: 3756640
references: Int J Epidemiol. 2007 Jun;36(3):600-9
references: 17317693
references: Physiology (Bethesda). 2009 Aug;24:257-65
references: 19675357
references: N Engl J Med. 1987 Jan 29;316(5):235-40
references: 3796701
references: Hypertension. 1998 Jan;31(1):131-8
references: 9449404
references: Stroke. 2009 Jun;40(6):2276-93
references: 19423857
references: Circulation. 1992 Nov;86(5):1475-84
references: 1330360
references: Circulation. 1998 Sep 22;98(12):1198-204
references: 9743511
references: Hypertension. 2012 Mar;59(3):657-64
references: 22252401
references: Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1981 Aug 15;283(6289):463-8
references: 6790017
references: Am J Hypertens. 2001 Sep;14(9 Pt 1):879-86
references: 11587153
references: Arch Intern Med. 2002 Jul 22;162(14):1619-24
references: 12123406
references: JAMA. 2011 Nov 23;306(20):2229-38
references: 22110105
references: Stroke. 2012 May;43(5):1200-5
references: 22499576