Virginija Stasiukynienė

Department of Intensive Care, Kaunas University of Medicine, Lithuania

Key words: potassium, sodium, magnesium, chronic alcoholism, alcohol withdrawal.

Summary. Blood plasma potassium, sodium and magnesium levels were studied in 114 chronic alcoholic patients (pts) during alcohol withdrawal. They were abnormal in 88.6% cases. Hypokalemia was observed in 28.9%, hyperkalemia – in 4.4%, hypomagnesemia in 29.8%, hipermagnesemia in 5.4%, hiponatremia in 72.8%, hipernatremia in 3.5% pts. In 23.7% cases disorders of two electrolytes and in 14% cases disorders of all three electrolytes for the same patient were established. Our data shows, that during alcohol withdrawal hyponatremia, hypomagnesemia and hypokalemia are not uncommon.

Received 7 January 2002, accepted 05 June 2002