[Severe hyponatraemia to terlipressin treatment].
Terlipressin is a vasopressin analogue. The clinical effect is attributable to affinity to vasopressin-1a receptors. However, it also has affinity to renal vasopressin-2 receptors, which can lead to water retention and dilutional hyponatraemia. We report a case of severe hyponatraemia secondary to terlipressin treatment. A 60-year-old woman with bleeding oesophageal varices was treated with terlipressin 2 mg every fourth hour. After 24 hours of treatment she was somnolent, and the sodium concentration had dropped from 127 mmol/l to 107 mmol/l. Hyponatraemia is an important adverse event in terlipressin treatment, and serum sodium should be monitored closely.
Gastroenheden, Hvidovre Hospital, Kettegårds Alle 30, 2650 Hvidovre. anjapoulsen@live.dk
Anja
A
Poulsen
Aleksander
A
Krag
D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000628:therapy; D008236:Lypressin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D000077585:Terlipressin; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D008236:Lypressin; D000077585:Terlipressin; D012964:Sodium