When a person with diabetes and heart failure takes a sulfonylurea, her body may release antidiuretic hormone-and the resulting water retention and hyponatremia can spell danger.If you’re caring for such a patient, watch for signs and symptoms of the syndrome of in -

• Appropriate antidiuretic hormone
• Weight gain despite anorexia
• Nausea and vomiting
• Muscle weakness
• restlessness
• Possibly seizures and coma.

If you note these signs and symptoms, begin emergency treatment as prescribed to increase sodium levels and prevent central nervous system injury and death. If the patient experiences hyponatremia associated with increased blood volume, a physician will prescribe normal or hypertonic saline solution and furosemide to induce the excretion of more dilute urine.