Could Drowsiness In A Person Be Due To Low Sodium And Potassium Levels?

Hello, Welcome to Health Care Magic. Thanks for writing. I am Dr.Saddiq ul Abidin. I have read you question completely, i understand your concern and will try to help you in best way possible. One of the simplest answers, to your query would be, YES, low potassium and sodium does cause such symptoms. Low potassium can cause fatiguability and lethargy but more of the CNS manifestations are referred to a low sodium that too, for the cases with an abrupt decline in sodium and not so in those where a gradual fall in the levels occur. But this explanation would not be sufficient, as for electrolyte imbalance to occur there has to be some cause and is never idiopathic in general. Our kidneys and endocrine symptoms maintain a fine balance of these electrolytes in the body, and can cover for the minor fluctuations but with the rising age, when kidney functions deteriorate, this balance may get affected as well. Normally both sodium and potassium in the body act contrary to one another, i.e. when one rise other one falls. But the concomitant decline is in the cases of excessive loss via GI tract, Kidneys or through skin. One needs to have a thorough investigations to identify the cause. Addisionian crisis can present with low sodium but normally has increased potassium, but in cases with excessive vomiting potassium can also turn out to be lower side. But the more appropriate clue will be to tract down the causes of low sodium, with tracing urinary sodium levels and then investigating alongwith clinical condition whether patient is hypovolumic, euvolumic or hypervolumic and all have got a different pathology behind it. The treatment and prognosis lye in an appropriate replacement. The potassium replacement is simple in slow IV infusions but sodium replacement is a very technical job and should be done in ICUs and ITCs. Normally with trivial symptoms, only 10meq/ 24 hour should be replaced but with aggressive symptoms, 1-2 meq/ hr under close monitoring may be done. Over aggressive replacement can lead to a condition called central pontine myelenosis. Do sit with her treating physician and discuss all the possibilities in detail. Hoping her a speedy recovery. I hope this answered your question. If you have more queries I am happy to answer. Otherwise rate and close the discussion Regards, Dr.Saddiq ul Abidin M.B.B.S(Licensed Family Physician) Resident Medicine.