Clinical physiology-pharmacology: Age-disease-drug-related hypernatremia and hyperphosphatemia

In this case, by discontinuing the amitryptyline and hydrochlorithiazide the intestinal problem was corrected. The patient's confusion waned and the sodium and phosphate values returned to normal. Were this patient to need another antidepressant, fluoxetine or another type of serotonin uptake antagonist lacking anticholinergic action should be given [9]. If pedal edema occurs in the elderly in the absence of hypertension, hepatic, cardiac or renal disease, it may be positional or due to venous insufficiency and may need to be treated non pharmacologically with elastic support hose and elevation of the feet to prevent the dependent position. © 1996 Kluwer Academic Publishers.