Treatment of hyponatremia: comprehension and best clinical practice.

Abstract

This review article series on water and electrolyte disorders is based on the 'Electrolyte Winter Seminar' held annually for young nephrologists in Japan. The seminar features dynamic case-based discussions, some of which are included as self-assessment questions in this series. The second article in this series focuses on treatment of hyponatremia, a common water and electrolyte disorder frequently encountered in clinical practice. Hyponatremia presents diagnostic challenges due to its various etiologies and the presence of co-morbidities that affect water and electrolyte homeostasis. Furthermore, limited evidence, including a lack of robust randomized controlled trials, complicates treatment decisions and increases the risk of poor outcomes from inappropriate management of both acute and chronic hyponatremia. This review provides a comprehensive overview of treatment of hyponatremia for better comprehension and improved clinical practice.