Our Patients' Stories

Maciek and the consequences of poisoning

Sometimes a simple solution can bring quick relief.

 

Maciek, a young student from the Polytechnic University, discovered this firsthand. After consuming alcohol at a party, he suffered from diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, and overall weakness. Concerned about his condition, he underwent tests at the collection point and received the results online that evening, revealing a sodium deficiency. Stressed out, Maciek didn’t know what to do.

See the interpretation of Maciek’s results

Expert commentary


Severe hyponatremia, defined as a blood sodium concentration below 125 mmol/l, poses an immediate life-threatening condition – untreated, it can quickly lead to death. In this patient, the blood sodium concentration is 125.3 mmol/l, placing it in the category of moderate hyponatremia. However, the additional presence of symptoms – persistent nausea or vomiting – may suggest the development of potentially life-threatening complications of hyponatremia and the necessity for controlled intravenous electrolyte correction.

 

In this case, relying solely on the interpretation of the result based on the parameter value, without clinical context, could delay taking appropriate action and lead to serious consequences.

Anna Kubrak, MD

Doctor of medicine, graduate of Wroclaw Medical University, with experience in primary care. Worked for Internal Medicine and Geriatrics unit at Falkiewicz Specialist Hospital in Wroclaw.