An individual visits a physician with the complaint of nausea,mental confusion,and needing an excessive amount of salt all the time.Laboratory results indicate decreased serum sodium and low serum osmolality.Physical examination reveals hypovolemia with low orthostatic blood pressure and tachycardia.A urine sodium analysis was suggested by a laboratorian and urine sodium was found to be increased; the physician diagnoses a salt-losing nephropathy (a renal tubule disease).What type of electrolyte disorder is this?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient has decreased serum sodium and low serum osmolality indicating hyponatremia. The increased urine sodium suggests that the patient is losing salt in the urine. This is consistent with depletional hyponatremia, which is caused by a loss of sodium in the body, typically due to renal tubular disorders such as salt-losing nephropathy.

An Individual Visits a Physician with the Complaint of Nausea,mental