Electrolyte disturbances and endocrinal care

Introduction 295 Sodium and body water physiology 295 Total body water and its distribution 295 Plasma tonicity and its determinants: The role of plasma sodium 296 Plasma tonicity and the blood-brain barrier 297 Regulation of total body water and plasma sodium 297 Laboratory measures for plasma and serum sodium concentration 297 Hypernatremia 298 Physiopathology 298 Clinical features 298 Diagnosis 300 Management 301 Hyponatremia 302 Physiopathology 302 Clinical presentation 304 Diagnosis 304 Management 306 Other electrolyte disorders 307 Potassium 307 Calcium 309 Magnesium 309 Chloride 309 Endocrinologic care 309 General aspects in physiopathology 310 General aspects in diagnosis 310 Adrenal failure 311 Other endocrine dysfunctions 311 Thyroid dysfunction 311 Growth hormone deficiency 312 Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism 312 Wake-sleep disorders 312 Glycemic control in the NCCU 312 References 313 Human cells, and especially neurons, need very tight regulation of extracellular sodium in order to be protected from hypertonic and hypotonic stress.1