Water intoxication

Overhydration (also hyperhydration ) denotes addition, a disturbance of the water-electrolyte household of the body with increasing the water content beyond the normal level. It occurs as a pathological condition in heart failure, kidney disease, hormonal disorders or excessive supply on ( by drinking or infusions). Certain chemotherapy but it is therapeutically induced by infusions to prevent kidney damage due to therapy.

Classification

Dependent on the sodium content, and so that the osmolality of the blood and the Extrazellulärflüssigkeiten overhydration is divided into:

• Hypotonic overhydration: osmolality (ie, substantially the sodium content ) of the blood is reduced ( hyponatremia).
• Isotonic hyperhydration: the osmolality of the blood is normal.
• Hypertonic hyperhydration: the osmolality of the blood is increased.

Hypotonic hyperhydration ( " water intoxication " )

Most of these disease occurs when loss of salts and fluids in hot weather, great effort, vomiting, or diarrhea with low-salt fluid be replaced ( drinking water, infusions of glucose solutions).

Symptoms of the disease include dizziness, nausea, and vomiting; in extreme cases, water intoxication in combination with sodium deficiency lead to organ damage and be fatal. The low levels of sodium can lead to disorientation and serious brain disorders ( cerebral edema ).

From healthy but also large amounts of water are tolerated with no damage and no severe electrolyte shifts at short notice. Even the often accused distilled water is not harmful in normal amounts for the body.