Water and salt metabolism in the geriatric syndromes

• Carlos G. Musso ^[2] ; José R. Jauregui ^[1]
  1. [1] Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires

     Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires

     Argentina

     
  2. [2] Hospital Italiano Agustin Rocca de San Justo
• Localización: Revista Electrónica de Biomedicina, ISSN-e 1697-090X, Nº. 3 (Septiembre-Diciembre), 2010, págs. 53-57
• Idioma: inglés
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo (pdf)
• Resumen

  • Geriatrics has already described four syndromes of its own: confusional syndrome, incontinence (fecal and/or urinary), and gait disorders and immobility syndrome, naming them geriatric giants. This name reflects their prevalence and great importance in the elderly. Ageing process induces many changes in renal physiology such as a reduction in glomerular filtration rate (senile hyponatremia), and water and sodium reabsorbtion capability. Besides, there are particular water and salt metabolism alteration characteristics of the geriatric syndromes, such as dehydration and hypernatremia in psychiatric disturbances as well as hyponatremia in patients suffering from immobility syndrome. The geriatric giants and nephrogeriatric physiology changes, are a good example of feed-back between geriatric syndromes, clinical entities characteristics in the elderly that predispose and potentiate each other, leading to catastrophic clinical events.