A Low Salt Diet Is A Concern for Seniors

04/26/2016
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Low Salt Diet:
Be Sure to Get a Healthy Dose of Salt in Your Diet

 

We often hear that salt is bad for our diet, but truth be told, too little salt is a major concern as well; especially for seniors.

Low blood sodium (hyponatremia) occurs when you have an abnormally low amount of sodium in your blood or when you have too much water in your blood. Low blood sodium is common in older adults, especially those who are hospitalized or living in long-term care facilities.

When sodium levels in the body are low, water tends to enter cells, causing them to swell. When this occurs in the brain, it’s referred to as cerebral edema. Cerebral edema is particularly dangerous because the brain is confined in the skull without room for expansion, and the swelling can lead to brain damage as the pressure increases within the skull. Cerebral edema occurs only in severe cases of hyponatremia.

In chronic hyponatremia, in which the blood sodium levels drop gradually over time, symptoms are typically less severe than with acute hyponatremia (a sudden drop in blood sodium level).

Signs and symptoms of hyponatremia can include altered personality, lethargy and confusion. Severe hyponatremia can cause seizures, coma and even death.

Hyponatremia is more common in older adults because they’re more likely to take medications or have medical conditions that put them at risk of the disorder.

These risk factors include:

  • Drugs that make you urinate more (diuretics)
  • Some types of antidepressants
  • Carbamazepine, an anti-seizure medication
  • Underactive thyroid or adrenal glands
  • Decreased function of the kidneys, liver or heart
  • Certain cancers, including lung cancer

Hyponatremia treatments may include changing a medication that affects your sodium level, treating the underlying disease, changing the amount of water you drink, or changing the amount of salt in your diet. For severe or acute hyponatremia, treatment typically involves the intravenous administration of fluids and electrolytes. In this case medications are often needed that treat the underlying cause of the hyponatremia as well as medications to manage the accompanying symptoms.

If you’re a senior, be sure to introduce a healthy amount of salt to your diet. Of course, as always, be sure to talk with your family doctor about your diet and salt intake to be sure you’re on the right path to a healthy lifestyle.

 

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BLOG Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Writer: Ryan Allen