What is the Difference Between Diuresis and Natriuresis

The key difference between diuresis and natriuresis is that diuresis is the excretion of an unusually large quantity of urine, while natriuresis is the excretion of an excessively large amount of sodium in the urine.

Diuresis and natriuresis are two urine excretion problems. Diuresis results in excessive urine output, while natriuresis results in a large amount of sodium in the urine. Diuresis is often due to other medical complications, such as heart failure or kidney failure, or can also develop as a response to drug usage. On the other hand, natriuresis is due to some diuretics and diseases leading to salt loss syndrome.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Diuresis  
3. What is Natriuresis
4. Similarities – Diuresis and Natriuresis
5. Diuresis vs Natriuresis in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Diuresis vs Natriuresis

What is Diuresis?

Diuresis is a medical condition that results in the excretion of an unusually large quantity of urine. This condition can happen for a short period of time due to a medication or something people eat. It can also be due to a large underlying health condition. Diuresis refers to the increased production of urine, resulting in symptoms such as increased thirst due to excessive water loss, disrupted sleep due to waking up to urinate at night, and feelings of confusion, fatigue, or weakness caused by an imbalance of minerals or electrolytes. Diuresis can be caused due to medical conditions such as diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus (central diabetes insipidus, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, and gestational diabetes insipidus), diuretics such as mannitol, drinking excessive amounts of water in mental disorders like schizophrenia, anxiety, or depression, removal of a kidney blockage, hypercalcemia, high altitude, cold temperature and diet (caffeine and a high-protein diet). Diuresis also results in complications like more thirst, dry skin, fatigue, confusion, and nausea.

Moreover, diuresis can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood test, urine test, imaging tests like MRI, and assessment of mental health. Diuresis can be treated by controlling diabetes and other health conditions, changing the medications, switching to a different diuretic, avoiding caffeine or alcohol, drinking more water to prevent dehydration, and stopping diuretics if people do not need them.

What is Natriuresis?

Natriuresis is a medical condition that occurs when people pass large amounts of sodium in their urine. It can result from the foods people eat or health problems such as kidney damage. This condition can lead to complications such as nighttime polyuria. Natriuresis is normally a natural process in infants at the time of birth. Excess natriuresis can be caused by medullary cystic disease, Bartter syndrome, diuretic phase of acute tubular necrosis disease, some diuretic drugs, primary renal disease, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (ADH) hypersecretion and endogenous natriuretic hormones such as an atrial natriuretic peptide, brain natriuretic peptide, and C-type natriuretic peptide. The signs and symptoms of natriuresis may include dehydration, vomiting, low blood pressure, and the risk of sudden death.

Moreover, natriuresis can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood tests, and urine tests. Natriuresis is treated by giving hydrocortisone and sodium and water replacement for hypervolemic therapy.

What are the Similarities Between Diuresis and Natriuresis?

• Diuresis and natriuresis are two urine excretion problems.
• Both conditions can cause electrolyte imbalance in the body.
• These conditions can be caused by diuretic drugs.
• Both conditions may have similar symptoms, such as fatigue, dehydration, thirst, etc.
• These conditions can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood test, and urine test.
• They can be treated by stopping unwanted diuretic drugs and fluid and electrolyte replacement.

What is the Difference Between Diuresis and Natriuresis?

Diuresis is the excretion of an unusually large quantity of urine, while natriuresis is the excretion of an excessively large amount of sodium in the urine. Thus, this is the key difference between diuresis and natriuresis. Furthermore, diuresis results in complications such as more thirst, dry skin, fatigue, confusion, and nausea. On the other hand, natriuresis results in complications such as polyuria and sudden death.

The infographic below presents the differences between diuresis and natriuresis in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Diuresis vs Natriuresis

The kidney’s primary function is to excrete body wastes and harmful chemicals through urine. Nephron is the functional unit of the kidney responsible for this. Diuresis and natriuresis are two urine excretion problems. Diuresis is due to a large amount of excretion of urine, while natriuresis is due to the excretion of excessively large amounts of sodium in the urine. So, this summarizes the difference between diuresis and natriuresis.

Reference:

1. Christiano, Donna. “Diuresis: Definition, Causes, Treatment, Outlook, and More.” Healthline.
2.“Hepatocellular Jaundice.” Encyclopædia Britannica.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Renal Diuretics” By Haisook at English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia