Original scientific paper

HYPONATRAEMIC ENCEPHALOPATHY CAUSED BY PSYCHOGENIC POLYDIPSIA

Miljenka Planjar-Prvan
Ivan Bielen

Abstract

The basic patophysiologic mechanism of the hyponatremic encephalopathy caused by psychogenic polydipsia is the dilution of body fluids and decreasing of plasma osmolality. Psychogenic polydipsia usually occurs among schizophrenic patients. Taking into account that the data describing this syndrome in the standard textbooks of clinical medicine are typically sparse, this article is aimed to review the literature data and report three typical cases of this life-threatening syndrome. In typical cases the clinical presentation of hyponatriemic encephalopathy consist of seizures and prolonged consciousness disturbance. According to the literature review and the analysis of the presented case-reports, the authors suggest that hyponatremic encephalopathy caused by psychogenic polydipsia should always be suspected in patients with hyponatremia and polyuria of diluted urine. The diagnosis is ascertained if the data about previous polydipsia are provided.

Keywords

hyponatremia; psychogenic polydipsia; epilepsy; coma

Hrčak ID:

32113

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/32113

Publication date:

22.12.2008.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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