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Can Salty Foods Cause Water Retention In The Body?

Posted on Wed, 17 Aug 2016

Question: My 86 year old dad eats alot of salt. He has very high blood pressure and low pulse/ox, last night bp was 180 / 91, and ox was 89, how does eating alot of pretz

Pretzels affect this

Answered by Dr. Dr.Arnab (32 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Please don't delay any further and take him to your nearest ER ASAP......

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX, Welcome to HCM,

I've gone through your query and understand your concern for your dad..

You haven't mentioned here if he's a known hypertensive or on any cardiac/other medications..

Regardless of the fact, eating a lot a junky/salty foods cause further water retention in the body, and in a 86 yr old person with a BP of 180/91 mmhg, the effect will be even more severe as it can precipitate heart failure..

You've also mentioned pulse-ox of 89% which can be due to impaired blood circulation to the peripheries due to age-related hardening of the vessels, cold extremities, anemia, fluid retention and several other factors..

Dear, your dad needs immediate medical attention as well as investigations ..

I'd strongly suggest you to please take him to your nearest ER/Urgent Care for an immediate physical check-up, monitoring of vitals, a battery of investigations (Chest X-ray, Blood gas analysis, 12 lead EKG, 2D-Echo cardiography, CBC, Electrolytes, Renal and Liver function assay and a few more depending on the findings), and prompt management accordingly..

Please don't delay any more dear, he needs immediate medical attention..

Let me know how he stays in the due course..

My Best Wishes..
Take Care
Kind Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee

Follow up: Dr. Dr.Arnab (18 minutes later)

Thank you, he is on a cardiak monitor, cummiden, amiodarone, and i test him w coaguchek twice weekly, his last reading was 2.1 (within ok range) . He also has type 2 diabetes, and checks his sugar sporadically. He is tired all of the time, just went to bed for a short nap. He gets up 3 to 4 times at night, so his sleep pattern is all over the place. I am 60 years old and always need a sleeping pill, as do most of my friends, just to fall asleep .

Answered by Dr. Dr.Arnab (25 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Then his medications need to be optimized after the check-up by cardiologist

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX, Welcome back,
Thanks for sharing these vital details..

I can understand your concern, and since you yourself is 60 yrs old, must be quite a stress on you all the time..

You haven't mentioned any anti-hypertensive(BP lowering) medications here, so if he's not on any yet, then I'd advice you to please get in touch with his cardiologist at the earliest to initiate a novel anti-hypertensive for him..this has to be done with extreme caution and cont. monitoring as already on amiodarone..

He has to be strictly monitored since already on amiodarone, for any underlying changes of cardiac rythm, and i believe he must be having underlying problem with AFib/ some other rythm anomaly (since also on Coumadin for prophylaxis), yes 2.1 of INR is acceptable..

Please keep a strict eye on his eating habits and keep those pretzels away, as they are not good for his heart and overall health..

My Best Wishes..appreciate your concern for your dad, keep it up..

Let me know if there's any further queries, i'll be glad to clarify..

Take Care
Kind Regards

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee