Hyponatremia in the outpatient setting: clinical characteristics, risk factors, and outcome

Purpose Hyponatremia is a common disorder and hyponatremia in the outpatient setting is not extensively studied. Our aim was to investigate the characteristics of hyponatremia in ambulatory patients. Methods Seventy-six adult outpatients with hyponatremia were enrolled in this prospective study. Demographic features, presenting symptoms and signs, associating morbidities, medications, laboratory findings, mortalities, and length of hospital stay, were recorded. Results Mean age was 74.7 ± 12.7 years, and 52 (68.4 %) were female whereas 24 (31.6 %) were male. Mean sodium concentration was 123.6 ± 6.6 mEq/L. Leading cause was thiazide diuretic use ( n = 37, 48.7 %) and approximately half of the patients ( n = 40, 52.6 %) had a multifactorial etiology. Severe hyponatremia (sodium