Drug-Induced Dilutional Hyponatremia

IN recent years, several pharmacologic agents have been shown to have water-retaining properties. At first, the antidiuretic actions were used to advantage in the treatment of patients with diabetes insipidus. However, more recently there have been numerous reports of serious water retention and dilutional hyponatremia as a consequence of the water-retaining drugs. This report has been prepared to summarize the drugs and the problems that they have produced and to alert the medical profession to the problems. Pathophysiology of Water Retention The maintenance of water balance in man results from the interaction of factors controlling water intake and water loss.