Anelectrolyteimbalance is when the concentration of certain important minerals in your blood falls outside the normal range.
Electrolyte imbalances can cause problems with many different bodily systems.
If severe, they may even be life-threatening.
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This article looks at electrolyte imbalances, what they mean, and the symptoms they can cause.
It also covers how electrolyte abnormalities can be used to help diagnose a wide variety of medical problems.
For that reason, they play an important role in the diagnosis of many different medical conditions.
Sometimes, however, no specific cause can be identified for an electrolyte imbalance.
It is possible to have more than one jot down of electrolyte that is outside the normal range.
Other conditions that can cause hyponatremia include:
It is also possible to have elevated sodium levels.
Calcium
Hypocalcemiais when you have low levels of calcium in your blood.
Hypoparathyroidism can also be resulting from certain autoimmune conditions or a genetic disease.
It can happen when medical conditions or medication use cause fluid loss from the gastrointestinal system or urinary tract.
Hypermagnesemia is common in people with chronic kidney disease and people who are hospitalized with kidney injury.
Some of the things that can cause this include:
Certain medications like diuretics can also cause hypochloremia.
Hyperchloremia(too much chloride) can happen when you lose more fluid than chloride.
Electrolyte imbalances also increase the risk of complications and death in people who already have serious medical conditions.
Diagnosing an Electrolyte Imbalance
Diagnosis of an electrolyte imbalance can be performed with a simple blood test.
Electrolytes are usually tested as a group, along with other key laboratory values.
These tests can tell you whether you have an imbalance in a specific electrolyte.
However, these blood tests dont tell youwhyyou have an electrolyte imbalance.
Sometimes the reasons might be obvious.
Electrolytes are often tested when a person is having symptoms but hasnt yet been diagnosed.
For example, weakness is a potential symptom of certain electrolyte imbalances.
Sometimes electrolytes are tested as part of monitoring for people who have certain medical conditions that could alter electrolytes.
When paired together, certain electrolyte imbalances may signal problems in parts of the body.
Additionally, problems with certain electrolytes may cause problems with other electrolytes.
For example, a low magnesium level might be the underlying cause of a low calcium level.
If you have a serious electrolyte imbalance, you may need other kinds of monitoring.
For example, you may need anelectrocardiogram(ECG) to check for heart rhythm problems.
Treatment
Electrolytes are found naturally in many foods and drinks.
Sports drinks can help replenish lost electrolytes in certain situations, like after intense exercise.
Treating Underlying Medical Problems
Treatment of an electrolyte imbalance will depend on the underlying medical problem.
Often, the electrolyte problem will resolve after the underlying health condition is treated.
In someone with a relatively mild imbalance, this might be the only intervention needed.
For example, you might have an electrolyte imbalance because of untreatedtype 1 diabetes.
In this case, getting treatment with insulin and other therapies may help correct the imbalance.
Its also important to pinpoint any medications that might be contributing to the problem.
You may need to switch to a different medication jot down.
Fixing Dehydration or Overhydration
Ifdehydrationis part of the cause, you may need to receive intravenous fluids.
Adjusting Electrolytes
Some people may also need to receive additional electrolytes for a limited period.
These could be given orally or through an intravenous line.
Monitoring
After treatment, your healthcare provider will evaluate you to see if the problem corrects itself.
This will require follow-up electrolyte tests.
These may be helpful for some athletes during prolonged activities.
However, water is often the only thing you better drink to replace lost fluids.
Hydrating before you begin your workout is a good way to help prevent problems.
Its also important to note that drinking too many fluidseither water or commercialelectrolyte drinksmay also lead to electrolyte imbalances.
Taking your medications exactly as prescribed may also help you reduce the risk of an electrolyte imbalance.
Summary
Electrolytes are minerals your body needs to get to perform important functions.
Electrolyte imbalances can be serious, and can even cause death.
Treatment usually involves treating the underlying condition and/or receiving additional electrolytes.
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