The hyponatremia, AKA Edelman equation, is what actually determines the blood sodium level. It’s straightforward and simple on the surface but imperative to understand in order to make sense of the overall Hyponatremia construct. The simplified Edelman equation is as follows: Sodium-e + Potassium-e————————————=Serum Sodium Level Total Body WaterThis concept was initially discussed in… Read More »The Hyponatremia Equation
PowerPoint presentation created by Dr Barry Gorlitsky on evidence based approach to Chronic Hyponatremia. Example case, prevalence, how to make the correct diagnosis of Hyponatremia and SIADH, consequences of under treatment and current treatment options, including Urea. Click here to download the full presentation in Powerpoint (.pptx) format.
“Interestingly in the subjects with SIADH this occurred but all at a lower set point.” A great question came up via social media the other day. If I have SIADH (low sodium) and my blood is dilute, why am I still thirsty? Shouldn’t my body tell me to stop drinking water? This is a great… Read More »Why am I Still Thirsty?
An interesting question came up recently in a Hyponatremia forum regarding why someone with SIADH specific gravity (concentration of urine) would be so varied. If I can still concentrate and dilute my urine why then do I still suffer from Hyponatremia, she asked. While the answer, of course, is far from simple one obvious conclusion is well… Read More »The Many Types of SIADH
Urea is a medical food, used for the treatment of Hyponatremia (low sodium). Urea works by osmosis. It draws excess water out via the kidneys, resulting in increased sodium levels without the need for salt tablets and/or extreme fluid restrictions. Medical foods, like UreaAide, can be purchased directly by patients without a prescription, but should only… Read More »What is UreaAide?
The FDA defines a medical food as: “a food which is formulated to be consumed or administered enterally under the supervision of a physician and which is intended for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation.”1 The FDA… Read More »What is a Medical Food?
Reset osmostat is a sub–type of SIADH (type C in the nephrology literature). It is essentially your body having a higher threshold for low sodium. In other words your body will allow the sodium to run lower, to a lower set point than what is typical1. As you drink water, under normal circumstances, the body will suppress ADH… Read More »What is Reset Osmostat?
We realized we could really bring the cost down if we sold our same USP grade Urea but just left it unflavored. Dr. Barry Before KidneyAide there was only one company making one Urea in the entire US. We loved how well Urea worked to bring sodium levels up, but didn’t love the cost for our patients. This… Read More »What is the ‘Low Cost’ Urea I Keep Hearing About?
A study in the journal of Bone and Mineral Research published in 2010, sought to answer this very question. We already know low sodium is linked to falls and imbalance so if it also causes bone weakness it’s a pretty scary proposition. We also know about 1/3 of total body sodium is in the bones so if your blood… Read More »Does Low Sodium Cause Weak Bones?
Hyponatremia may be associated with Hypothyroidism (low thyroid levels/function), especially with severe hypothyroidism and myxedema. Myxedema is a constellation of symptoms associated with severe hypothyroidism including: •Confusion•Swelling•Hypothermia (low body temperature)•Bradycardia (slow heart rate)•Hypotension (low blood pressure)•Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) With this being said thyroid function is often checked, with a simple blood test, to be sure this is not the cause of the… Read More »Thyroid Disease and Hyponatremia – is There a Link?
INTRODUCTION: HYPONATREMIA SIGNS AND SYPMTOMS. Hyponatremia, low blood sodium level, is a relatively common condition. Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disturbance to impact patients in clinical settings1. Most often, Hyponatremia is due to the inability of the body to excrete excess water. This excess water accumulates in the blood, dilutes the sodium level, and leads to… Read More »What is Hyponatremia and How Do I Treat It?
1. Urea’s molecular formula is CO-(NH2)2. Pubchem. 2. Urea is also known as Carbamide, 57-13-6, Carbonyldiamide, IsoUrea. Pubchem 3. Urea is found naturally in our skin and is one of our body’s natural moisturizers. Many skin care products contain Urea at various percentages, Eucerin 10% Urea is an example of one.4. Urea has a molecular weight of 60.056 g/mol… Read More »10 Fun Facts About Urea You May Not Know
Pseudohyponatremia, as the name implies, is not what we consider true hyponatremia. In fact, it is a laboratory error (pseudo-greek derivation meaning false; feigned). When serum sodium is measured with the standard indirect ion-selective electrode (ISE) method it is measured in an aqueous solution, diluted, and there is always an assumption that plasma is precisely… Read More »What is Psuedohyponatremia?
CJASN Study showing 12 months of Urea use extremely effective at keeping sodium in normal range.Urea has been used for many years and in many countries for the treatment of SIADH/Hyponatremia. Urea is considered a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) product by the FDA1. In fact, an interesting study took place in Belgium in 2012.… Read More »Is Urea Safe for Long term Use?
There is a misconception in the medical community regarding Hyponatremia (low sodium) and the benefit of salt tablets. Of course it makes sense on the surface, your sodium (salt) level is low so take more salt right? Wrong! I’m sorry but it’s usually not the ideal strategy, especially in SIADH or Hypervolemic hyponatremia, as in… Read More »If I Take UreaAide Can I Really Come Off The Yucky Salt Tablets?
Na=Sodium (Normal range 134-145 meq/L)Hyponatremia, or low sodium, is quite common affecting estimates of 1.7-2.1% of the US population1. There are many causes of Hyponatremia (low serum sodium). For completeness, there are less common causes of Hyponatremia, such as the type associated with hyperglycemia (very high blood sugar) or seen with extremely high lipids or… Read More »Common Causes of Hyponatremia
There is no such thing as asymptomatic Hyponatremia. We were all taught this in medical school and residency, but what are the problems of leaving your serum sodium a little on the low side?Based on many different studies both observational and randomized ie: SALT-1 and SALT-2, below are 5 of the more common and ominous… Read More »Five Perils of Chronic (Long-Standing) Hyponatremia (Low Sodium)
UreaAide works by osmosis. It really is that simple. When you have excess water (SIADH/Hyponatremia) it is that excess water that is diluting your sodium and causing the number to be low. UreaAide works by increasing the osmolarity (concentration) in the urine which will ultimately draw water to flow in the urine out of the… Read More »How Does UreaAide Actually Work?
I’ve often been asked in my years of practicing nephrology, why does it matter if my sodium is low? The short answer is even mild Hyponatremia is linked to several notable negative signs and symptoms. Hyponatremia is associated with an increased death rate, longer hospital stay, falls, Re-admissions to the hospital, osteoporosis (bone disease), and… Read More »Why Does Low Sodium (Hyponatremia) Matter?
The FDA definition of a medical food is: “a food which is formulated to be consumed or administered enterally under the supervision of a physician and which is intended for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation.” Medical… Read More »What Are Medical Foods?