Abstract

Background:
Lack of proper diet and use of different medications in
heart failure contributes to electrolyte imbalance. Due
to absence of routine measurement, their abnormalities
are not recognized. This study is an attempt to portrait
a picture of serum levels of electrolytes in heart failure
patients


Materials and Methods: 102 heart failure
patients were enrolled in this study over 6 months period.
Serum levels of magnesium, calcium, phosphorus,
sodium and albumin were measured. SPSS ver. 20.0 was
used to analyze the data. Analysis of Variance was used to
find mean differences and Pearson’s correlation was used
to establish the correlation.


Results: Majority of patient
fell under New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II
and had isolated systolic heart failure. Mean serum values
of sodium and magnesium were below the reference
range. Mean values of serum sodium, magnesium and
corrected calcium was less in patients receiving diuretics
and digitalis. Likewise, serum phosphorus was more
with diuretics and digitalis use. Also, serum sodium was
less in Acetylcholine Eseterose (ACE) inhibitors use.
Isolated diastolic heart failure patients had least serum
calcium values. Although, serum sodium and magnesium
value in heart failure patients was positively correlated,
was not statistically significant.


Conclusion: This study
showed that low serum sodium and magnesium values
are frequently associated in heart failure. Disturbances
in other serum electrolytes could also be other cause of
complications in heart failure which are not under routine
investigation. Identification and correction of these
disturbances could have significant impact. However,
further studies are required to reinforce this idea.

Keywords: ACE inhibitors, Calcium, Digitalis, Diuretics, Heart failure, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Sodium