title: [Electrolyte disturbances in geriatric patients with focus on hyponatremia].
abstract: Disturbances of water and electrolyte balance are commonly encountered in older patients due to a multitude of physiological changes and preexisting morbidities with hyponatremia being the most common disorder. Even mild chronic hyponatremia can lead to cognitive deficits and gait instability and is associated with an increased rate of falls and fractures. Additionally, experimental and epidemiological data suggest that hyponatremia promotes bone resorption and therefore increases the risk of osteoporosis. Furthermore, osteoporosis and sarcopenia can be stimulated by hypomagnesemia. Hypernatremia often only results in unspecific symptoms but the condition is associated with a clearly increased mortality. As electrolyte disturbances have a high prevalence in the geriatric population and can contribute to geriatric syndromes and frailty, relevant electrolyte alterations should be excluded in all geriatric patients, in particular after a change in medication schedules.
authors.affiliation: Klinik II für Innere Medizin, Nephrologie, Rheumatologie, Diabetologie und Allgemeine Innere Medizin, Uniklinik Köln, Kerpenerstr. 62, 50937, Köln, Deutschland. franziska.grundmann@uk-koeln.de.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grundmann
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015984:Causality; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D020235:Gait Apraxia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D014883:Water-Electrolyte Imbalance / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality
keywords: Aging; Hyponatremia; Osmolarity; Water; Water electrolyte imbalance