Polydipsia, water intoxication and psychosis

Water intoxication and hyponatremia secondary to compulsive water drinking may lead even to death. Perhaps the problem of undue drinking of water among mental patients deserves increased attention. Our purpose has been to evaluate this issue in a given mental hospital, to investigate psychic and psychosocial factors related to this symptom, and to find out possible cases of water intoxication in polydipsia patients. Another aim has been to study the effect of furosemide on the serum sodium levels within this patient group.