New Treatments for Hyponatremia

Abstract

The syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) was described by Schwartz and Bartter and their colleagues in 1957.¹ At that time is was clearly shown that the hyponatremia associated with this syndrome does not respond to sodium replacement, and that rather severe restriction of water intake is necessary to raise plasma sodium concentration. In many patients this approach is satisfactory, because in the absence of severe symptoms, a rapid correction of the hyponatremia is not necessary. Also, in many circumstances, such as with acute pulmonary and Central-nervous-system infections, the duration of the syndrome is short-lived. The inconvenience of . . .