Ann Coloproctol.  2014 Dec;30(6):290-293. 10.3393/ac.2014.30.6.290.

Acute Hyponatremia With Seizure and Mental Change After Oral Sodium Picosulfate/Magnesium Citrate Bowel Preparation

• Cho YS
• Nam KM
• Park JH
• Byun SH
• Ryu JS
• Kim HJ

• KMID: 1882739
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3393/ac.2014.30.6.290

Abstract

Sodium picosulfate/magnesium citrate (Picolight Powder), which is used as a bowel preparation for the colon and the rectum, can cause a severe electrolyte imbalance like hyponatremia. When hyponatremia gets severe or occurs rapidly, it can lead to death due to associated complications. We have experienced a case of hyponatremia associated with seizure and loss of consciousness in a 76-year-old woman, who took sodium picosulfate/magnesium citrate as a bowel preparation for colonoscopy. She was taking thiazide and synthroid for the treatment of hypertension and hypothyroidism, respectively, and she had other underlying medical conditions such as a history of seizure and dementia. Following the diagnosis of hyponatremia, we used an intravenous injection of 3% NaCl to normalize the sodium level in her serum, and her associated symptoms soon disappeared.

Keyword

Picosulfate sodium; Bowel preparation; Hyponatremia; Seizures; Colonoscopy

MeSH Terms

Aged
Citric Acid*
Colon
Colonoscopy
Dementia
Diagnosis
Female
Humans
Hypertension
Hyponatremia*
Hypothyroidism
Injections, Intravenous
Rectum
Seizures*
Sodium*
Thyroxine
Unconsciousness
Citric Acid
Sodium
Thyroxine