Total Exchangeable Sodium in Previously Edematous Cardiac Patients: Is There Evidence for Osmotic Inactivation of Sodium?

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Thirty previously edematous cardiac patients were examined for evidence of increased osmotic inactivation of Na through isotope dilutional studies of body composition. The basic assumptions were that increased osmotic inactivation of exchangeable Na would result in the following changes: an increase of the residual Na, that is, the amount of total exchangeable Na which is not accounted for as total extracellular Na, as derived from a corrected 82bromide space, and a departure from the established close correlation between the serum Na level and the total exchangeable cation concentration (total exchangeable Na + K/total body water), resulting in a rise of the exchangeable cation concentration out of proportion to serum Na. In 10 males and 10 females with previous cardiac edema the total exchangeable Na, the 82bromide space, and the derived total extracellular Na were slightly, but not significantly, higher than in control groups of similar age and body weight. The residual Na assumed to include the osmotically inactive Na was close to the same in the groups compared. In 10 previously edematous cardiac patients the total exchangeable Na, the total exchangeable cation, and total body water were significantly lower than in 10 edematous cardiac patients of similar age and sex. Nevertheless, the total exchangeable cation concentrations were close to the same in the 2 groups. The serum Na levels were equal, and the relationship between serum Na and exchangeable cation concentrations were within normal limits. The assumptions basic for the study are discussed, and it is concluded that increased osmotic inactivation of Na could not be demonstrated.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: