A potentially fatal condition caused by an intake of fluid that exceeds the maximum rate of urinary flow.
Excess water intake.
Also known as overhydration, an abnormal increase in the volume of water in the body. Infants younger than 1 month are especially susceptible to overhydration. In adults, water intoxication is most common in people with impaired kidney function and may occur in hospitals when more water-producing fluids are administered than a person can assimilate or excrete. In people whose kidneys and other organs are functioning properly, water intoxication is rarely caused simply by drinking too much water. Symptoms of water intoxication include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, headache, muscle twitches, seizures, restlessness, dizziness, disorientation, and stupor. Left untreated, water intoxication can result in coma and death. Treatment focuses on immediate cessation of water intake. Sometimes, anticonvulsants and intravenous infusions of serum sodium are administered. Infants (especially in the first month of life) receive sufficient water from breast milk or formula, and supplementing with additional water can be dangerous.
A disorder resulting from excessive retention of water in the brain. Main symptoms are dizziness, headaches, confusion and nausea. In severe cases the patient may have fits or lose consciousness due to cerebral oedema; the condition may be fatal. Several conditions can disturb the body’s water balance, causing accumulation of water in the tissues. Heart or kidney failure, cirrhosis of the liver, disorders of the adrenal glands and diabetic ketoacidosis can all result in water retention. Other causes are stress as a result of surgery, when increased secretion of antidiuretic hormone (vasopressin) by the adrenal gland may occur. It may arise during intravenous therapy, if an excessive volume of a too dilute fluid is given, leading to hyponatraemia. Treatment is of the underlying condition, restricting fluids and possibly the judicious use of diuretics, with careful monitoring of the body’s electrolytes. Where cerebral oedema is suspected, drugs such as mannitol may be used.
Excess intake or undue retention of water, with symptomatic hyponatremia or hypo-osmolality or both.
An extremely critical condition that can arise from excessive water consumption, leading to hyponatremia, a low sodium level in the blood. This condition can potentially cause seizures, coma, and even fatalities.
This condition arises from an excessive accumulation of fluid in the brain. Its primary symptoms include headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and, in more severe instances, seizures and loss of consciousness.
Numerous disorders can disrupt the body’s water balance, resulting in the buildup of excess water in the tissues. Some examples include kidney failure, liver cirrhosis, severe heart failure, adrenal gland disorders, certain lung or ovarian tumors that produce a substance akin to ADH (antidiuretic hormone). Water intoxication can also occur in cases involving the use of Ecstasy (MDMA), where individuals consume excessive amounts of water. Additionally, there is a risk of water intoxication after surgery due to heightened ADH production.