Original Research Article
Year: 2020 | Month: October-December | Volume: 5 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 110-114
Prevalence of Patient Load with Electrolyte Abnormalities Presenting to Emergency Department at a Tertiary Care Hospital
Abdul Wahid Bhat1, Basil Wahid Bhat2
1Additional Professor Emergency Medicine, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura Srinagar, Kashmir
2Medical Student, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura Srinagar, Kashmir
Corresponding Author: Abdul Wahid Bhat
ABSTRACT
Disturbances in electrolytes are frequently observed in the emergency departments. There were 12500 patients admission (episodes) with various electrolyte abnormalities studied to check the prevalence of electrolyte imbalance in the patients admitted in the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital. Hyper and hypo abnormalities in Potassium, sodium and calcium were the common abnormalities and were present in 40.7%, 36.16% and 6.7% respectively. Patients with malignancy pre dominantly had electrolyte imbalances particularly hyponatremia, hypokalemia and hypercalcemia. Because of the high incidence rate of chronic co morbid conditions with electrolyte imbalance have multiple admission to ED, The ED physicians must be acknowledged and understand the dynamics of fluid and electrolyte balance and their early correction in patients admitted for short term care in the emergency department. The routine measurement of these electrolytes in all patients admitted in emergency department may be warranted for early detection and correction of any derangement in various electrolytes.
Keywords: Episodes, Electrolyte imbalance, hyponatremia, hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, hypokalemia, hypocalcaemia, hypercalcemia