Causes of electrolyte disorders
Electrolyte disorders are most often caused by a loss of bodily fluids through prolonged vomiting, diarrhea, or sweating. They may also develop due to fluid loss related to burns.
Certain medications can cause electrolyte disorders as well. In some cases, underlying diseases, such as acute or chronic kidney disease, are to blame.
The exact cause may vary depending on the specific type of electrolyte disorder.
Types of electrolyte disorders
Elevated levels of an electrolyte are indicated with the prefix “hyper-.” Depleted levels of an electrolyte are indicated with “hypo-.”
Conditions caused by electrolyte level imbalances include:
Calcium
Calcium is a vital mineral that your body uses to stabilize blood pressure and control skeletal muscle contraction. It’s also used to build strong bones and teeth.
Hypercalcemia occurs when you have too much calcium in the blood. This is usually caused by:
Hypocalcemia occurs due to a lack of adequate calcium in the bloodstream. Causes can include:
Chloride
Chloride is necessary for maintaining the proper balance of bodily fluids.
Hyperchloremia occurs when there’s too much chloride in the body. It can happen as a result of:
Hypochloremia develops when there’s too little chloride in the body. It’s often caused by sodium or potassium problems.
Other causes can include:
Magnesium
Magnesium is a critical mineral that regulates many important functions, such as:
- muscle contraction
- heart rhythm
- nerve function
Hypermagnesemia means excess amounts of magnesium. This disorder primarily affects people with Addison’s disease and end-stage kidney disease.
Hypomagnesemia means having too little magnesium in the body. Common causes include:
Phosphate
The kidneys, bones, and intestines work to balance phosphate levels in the body. Phosphate is necessary for a wide variety of functions and interacts closely with calcium.
Hyperphosphatemia can occur due to:
- low calcium levels
- chronic kidney disease
- severe breathing difficulties
- underactive parathyroid glands
- severe muscle injury
- tumor lysis syndrome, a complication of cancer treatment
- excessive use of phosphate-containing laxatives
Low levels of phosphate, or hypophosphatemia, can be seen in:
Potassium
Potassium is particularly important for regulating heart function. It also helps maintain healthy nerves and muscles.
Hyperkalemia may develop due to high levels of potassium. This condition can be fatal if left undiagnosed and untreated. It’s typically triggered by:
Hypokalemia occurs when potassium levels are too low. This often happens as a result of:
- eating disorders
- severe vomiting or diarrhea
- dehydration
- certain medications, including laxatives, diuretics, and corticosteroids
Sodium
Sodium is necessary for the body to maintain fluid balance and is critical for normal body function. It also helps to regulate nerve function and muscle contraction.
Hypernatremia occurs when there’s too much sodium in the blood. Abnormally high levels of sodium may be caused by:
- inadequate water consumption
- severe dehydration
- excessive loss of bodily fluids as a result of prolonged vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, or respiratory illness
- certain medications, including corticosteroids
Hyponatremia develops when there’s too little sodium. Common causes of low sodium levels include:
Diagnosing electrolyte disorders
A simple blood test can measure the levels of electrolytes in your body. A blood test that looks at your kidney function is important as well.
Your doctor may want to perform a physical exam or order extra tests to confirm a suspected electrolyte disorder. These additional tests will vary depending on the condition in question.
For example, hypernatremia (too much sodium) can cause loss of elasticity in the skin due to significant dehydration. Your doctor can perform a pinch test to determine whether dehydration is affecting you.
They may also test your reflexes, as both increased and depleted levels of some electrolytes can affect reflexes.
An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), an electrical tracing of your heart, may also be useful to check for any irregular heartbeats, rhythms, or ECG or EKG changes brought on by electrolyte problems.
Treating electrolyte disorders Treatment varies depending on the type of electrolyte disorder and on the underlying condition that’s causing it.
In general, certain treatments are used to restore the proper balance of minerals in the body. These include:
Intravenous (IV) fluids
Intravenous (IV) fluids, typically sodium chloride, can help rehydrate the body. This treatment is commonly used in cases of dehydration resulting from vomiting or diarrhea. Electrolyte supplements can be added to IV fluids to correct deficiencies.
Certain IV medications
IV medications can help your body restore electrolyte balance quickly. They can also protect you from negative effects while you’re being treated by another method.
The medication you receive will depend on the electrolyte disorder you have. Medications that may be administered include calcium gluconate, magnesium chloride, and potassium chloride.
Oral medications and supplements
Oral medications and supplements are often used to correct chronic mineral abnormalities in your body. This is more common in if you’ve been diagnosed with ongoing kidney disease.
Depending on your electrolyte disorder, you may receive medications or supplements such as:
- calcium (gluconate, carbonate, citrate, or lactate
- magnesium oxide
- potassium chloride
- phosphate binders, which include sevelamer hydrochloride (Renagel), lanthanum (Fosrenol), and calcium-based treatments such as calcium carbonate
They can help replace depleted electrolytes on a short- or long-term basis, depending on the underlying cause of your disorder. Once the imbalance has been corrected, your doctor will treat the underlying cause.
Although some of the supplements can be purchased over the counter, most people with electrolyte disorders get a prescription for supplements from their doctor.
Hemodialysis
Hemodialysis is a type of dialysis that uses a machine to remove waste from your blood.
One way to get the blood to flow to this artificial kidney is for your doctor to surgically create a vascular access, or an entrance point, into your blood vessels.
This entrance point will allow a larger amount of blood to flow through your body during hemodialysis treatment. This means more blood can be filtered and purified.
Hemodialysis can be used when an electrolyte disorder is caused by sudden kidney damage and other treatments aren’t working. Your doctor may also decide on hemodialysis treatment if the electrolyte problem has become life-threatening.
Risk factors for electrolyte disorders Anyone can develop an electrolyte disorder. Certain people are at an increased risk because of their medical history. Conditions that increase your risk for an electrolyte disorder include:
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