ABSTRACT
Acute kidney injury describes a reduction in renal function following an insult to the kidneys. Dialysis describes the use of a semipermeable membrane that acts as a filter with a solution to regulate the fluid and electrolytes in the blood. Prolonged secondary hyperparathyroidism may eventually lead to tertiary hyperparathyroidism that typically occurs in end-stage renal failure. The majority of patients with hyponatraemia are asymptomatic or display non-specific symptoms. Symptoms are often due to the rate of onset and severity. Rapid changes in sodium/severe hyponatraemia can cause neurological symptoms and cardiac arrest. A fluid status assessment, in addition to a cardiovascular and respiratory examination, should be included in your assessment to help identify an underlying cause. Check to see if the blood sample was taken from the arm receiving IV fluids, as this can commonly be identified as hyponatraemia. Hypokalaemia is a reduced serum potassium level, which rarely occurs in the absence of pathology.
