Medical history (history of illness) represents an important component in the diagnosis of hypernatremia (excess sodium).
Family history
- Do family members (e.g., parents/grandparents) have metabolic diseases?
Social history
- What is your profession?
Current medical history/systemic history (somatic and psychological complaints).
- Do you suffer from:
- Severe thirst?
- Feeling of weakness?
- Tiredness?
- Restlessness and difficulty concentrating?
- Are your skin and mucous membranes dry?
- Is your daily urine output decreased?
- Do you have water retention in the legs / feet.
- Do you have shortness of breath?*
- Do you have a fever?
Vegetative history including nutritional history.
- Do you drink enough? How much have you drunk today?
- Do you like to drink coffee, black or green tea? If so, how many cups per day?
- Do you drink other or additional caffeinated beverages? If so, how much of each?
- Do you smoke? If yes, how many cigarettes, cigars or pipes per day? If you are now a non-smoker: When did you quit smoking and how many years did you smoke?
- Do you use drugs? If yes, which drugs and how often per day or per week?
Self history incl. medication history.
- Pre-existing conditions (metabolic diseases; diarrhea (diarrhea); pancreatitis (pancreatitis); gastrointestinal diseases; polyuria (increased urine output); hyperhidrosis (abnormally increased perspiration; night sweats; sweating; sweating tendency; increase in sweat secretion; excessive sweating); renal diseases).
Medication history
- Hormones: glucocorticoids (prednisolone).
- Saline infusion solutions
- Selective COX-2 inhibitors (coxibs) – celecoxib, etoricoxib
* If this question has been answered with “Yes”, an immediate visit to the doctor is required! (Data without guarantee)
