In Southern Arizona Hospitals, DRG 640 Hyponatremia Rate Exceeds National Rate at All But One


In Hyponatremia

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By: James Pitt  Jun. 27, 2018

Hyponatremia, i.e. low blood sodium, is a common electrolyte imbalance. According to the Mayo Clinic, risk factors for hyponatremia include age, certain medications, kidney disease and heart failure (due to their effects on water excretion), and intensive physical activities like marathons.

A May 2017 study in American Journal of Emergency Medicine found that hyponatremia prevalence increases in the summer, especially in the elderly. In non-elderly adults, monthly hyponatremia prevalence averaged 3.74±0.5%, increasing to 4.14±0.2% in the summer. In the elderly, monthly hyponatremia prevalence averaged 10.3±0.7%, rising to 12.52±0.7% in the summer.

Southern Arizona is one of the hottest regions in the United States. According to the NOAA, the average annual temperature for the US as a whole was 54.6°F in 2017. The average temperature for climate regions in southern Arizona from 2013-2016 was 73.5°, 71.1°, and 64.3°.

Dexur analysts examined hyponatremia in southern Arizona. Hyponatremia and other electrolyte disorders are grouped under Nutritional and Miscellaneous Metabolic Disorders with Major Complications or Comorbidities (DRG 640), and without major complications (DRG 641).

At Tucson Medical Center (Tucson, AZ), 26% of DRG 640 discharges were for hyponatremia, equal to the national rate. At all other Southern Arizona hospitals, the rate of hyponatremia was higher. Chandler Regional Medical Center (Chandler, AZ) equaled the statewide rate at 32%. The highest rates in the sample were 43% at Mayo Clinic - Arizona (Phoenix, AZ) and Yuma Regional Medical Center (Yuma, AZ).

Hyponatremia as percentage of DRG 640 Discharges Southern Arizona Hospitals

The trend was similar for nutritional disorders without major complications. 42% of DRG 641 patients had hyponatremia at Banner Desert Medical Center (Sun City West, AZ), well over the national rate of 36%.

The highest rate of hyponatremia in DRG 641 patients in the sample was at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center (Phoenix, AZ), where 53% had hyponatremia.

DEXUR PRO MEMBERS GET ACCESS TO:

  1. Total DRG Discharges
  2. Total Hyponatremia Discharges at DRG
  3. % of Hyponatremia Discharges at DRG

For DRGs 640 and 641, from 2013-2016, for the following hospitals:

  1. Mayo Clinic - Arizona (Phoenix, AZ)
  2. Tucson Medical Center (Tucson, AZ)
  3. Honorhealth Scottsdale - Shea Medical Center (Scottsdale, AZ)
  4. Yuma Regional Medical Center (Yuma, AZ)
  5. Banner Baywood Medical Center (Mesa, AZ)
  6. Chandler Regional Medical Center (Chandler, AZ)
  7. St Josephs Hospital And Medical Center (Phoenix, AZ)
  8. Banner Desert Medical Center (Mesa, AZ)
  9. Banner Del E Webb Medical Center (Sun City West, AZ)
  10. Northwest Medical Center (Tucson, AZ)
  11. Honorhealth Scottsdale - Osborn Medical Center (Scottsdale, AZ)
  12. Banner Boswell Medical Center (Sun City, AZ)


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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James Pitt

James Pitt is a science writer with experience in medical devices and textbook publishing. His hobbies include reading, flintknapping, and squinting at RStudio. He received a bachelor's in Human Evolutionary Biology from Harvard.