Electrolyte Disturbances in Acute Phase of Stroke Patients

Data on electrolyte disorders in neurological conditions and in acute stroke are somewhat scanty and not easily compared. In our study we enrolled patients hospitalized within one week of onset of an acute stroke. A total of 70 clinically and CT proven patients admitted over a period of one year in different units of Medicine and recently started Neurology unit of Dinajpur Medical College Hospital were randomly selected. Association of electrolytes imbalance among acute stroke patients were identified and correlated. Out of 70 patients 62.86% were male and 37.14% were female patients of which 34.28% were in the age group 51 to 60 years. Majority of the patients 58.57% had ischaemic stroke, 34.28% patients had intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) and only 7.14% patients had Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). 70% of total acute stroke patients had electrolyte disturbances. Among 70 stroke patients 58.53% of ischaemic stroke, 50% of haemorrhagic stroke and 60% of SAH patients had electrolyte abnormalities. Total 38.57% of all stroke patients had serum sodium imbalance, 28.57% patients had serum potassium imbalance and only 14.28% patients had serum chloride imbalance. In ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke patients; hyponatraemia (17.14% & 10%), hypernatraemia (5.71% & 2.85%), hypokalaemia (15.71% & 7.14%), hyperkalaemia (1.41% & 0%), hypochloraemia (2.85% & 4.24%) and hyperchloraemia (5.71% & 0%) respectively were found. In conclusion it is evident that electrolyte disturbances are quite common association of acute stroke and is seen in all types of acute stroke. Among electrolyte disturbances hyponatraemia and hypokalaemia were most common abnormalities.