Hyponatremia Increases Complications After Cardiac Surgery
Patients who develop hyponatremia after cardiac surgery are more likely to spend longer in the hospital and are at increased risk for complications and death.
The results of a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found that 59% of patients who underwent cardiac surgery experienced postoperative hyponatremia and that the condition worsened outcomes. Patients with hyponatremia tended to have lower left ventricle ejection fraction, higher mean pulmonary artery pressures, lower glomerular filtration rate, higher EuroSCORE, and were more likely to be New York Heart Association class IV. These patients were also more likely to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, peripheral vascular disease, and to have longer hospital stays. Patients with hyponatremia experienced increased overall mortality rates, and the risk for mortality increased with the severity of the hyponatremia.
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