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Adult Medical Emergency Handbook - Scottish Intensive Care Society

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• Addison’s disease.<br />

• Renal salt wasting.<br />

HISTORY, EXAMINATION & INVESTIGATIONS<br />

• Accurate history to establish rate of onset of symptoms, any<br />

obvious cause eg diuretics.<br />

• Assess hydration status.<br />

• Check urine sodium concentration before giving any IV therapy.<br />

Patients with urinary sodium >30mmol/l are more likely to have<br />

dilutional hyponatraemia (exceptions are Addison’s disease and<br />

renal salt-wasting and patients receiving diuretic therapy).<br />

• Symptoms and signs relate to the rate of onset more than the<br />

degree of fall in sodium.<br />

• Na +

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