Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug-Induced Severe Hyponatremia

Mehmet Emin Demir¹, Mehmet Horoz¹, Turgay Ulas², Mehmet Ali Eren³, Zafer Ercan⁴

¹Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, Harran University, Sanliurfa, ²Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Harran University, Sanliurfa, ³Department of Endocrinology, School of Medicine, Harran University, Sanliurfa, ⁴Department of Nephrology, Diskapi Yıldırım Beyazit Education and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

Key words: drug-induced hyponatremia; meloxicam; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Summary. Hyponatremia (serum sodium level, <135 mmol/L) occasionally may develop in the course of treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are usually used in daily clinical practice. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs diminish the normal inhibitory effect of prostaglandins on the activity of antidiuretic hormone and can therefore reduce free water excretion, leading to water retention and induction or exacerbation of hyponatremia. In this report, we present a case of hyponatremia in a 78-year-old man who had received meloxicam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

Correspondence to M. E. Demir, Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, Harran University, 63300 Şanliurfa, Turkey E-mail: demirmehmetemin@hotmail.com

Received 21 February 2012, accepted 5 June 2012