Self-Induced Water Intoxication without Predisposing Illness

Abstract

Two personal cases, occurring in psychotic but otherwise healthy patients, enabled the authors to confirm Barahal's report, thai water intoxication can happen after simple voluntary ingestion of water. Both patients displayed the usual symptoms of increased neuro-excitability, delirium, convulsions and coma. Serum sodium was down to 105 mEq./1. in one case, and to 84 mEq./1. (1) in the other; serum chloride 75 mEq./1. in both cases. Diabetes insipidus was adequately excluded. It should be noted, however, that both patients had been submitted to prolonged sedation with reserpine, that the first had also received small doses of hydrochlorothiazide, and that the second had been lobotomized, 8 and 7 yr. previously.