THIAZIDE-INDUCED HYPONATREMIA IN THE POSTOPERATIVE TOTAL JOINT REPLACEMENT PATIENT

The thiazide diuretic is a common medication in the elderly population for the treatment of hypertension. These same patients are the larges t population for surgical intervention for joint arthroplasty. Postope rative management of these patients has shown to be complicated by hyp onatremia associated with the use of thiazide diuretics. This study ev aluates a consecutive series of 408 patients undergoing elective joint arthroplasty.-An association was found with the use of thiazide diure tics in the preoperative period and the development of postoperative h yponatremia. The study is presented, along with a relevant review of t he literature and suggestions for the orthopedic staff to limit the ri sk of hyponatremia and prolonged hospitalization in an otherwise stabl e postoperative course.