Unfortunately, many hypoadrenal patients are only treated when they are ready to go into Addisonian crisis. Research and clinical experience show that this approach misses many hypoadrenal patients.
When corticosteroids of therapeutic doses have been given for any length time, sudden withdrawal can lead to acute adrenal insufficiency and thus Addisonian crisis.
The causes of hyponatremia in a postsurgical patient include syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH), infusion of hypotonic solutions, excessive diuretics, congestive heart failure, renal disease, and addisonian crisis. An additional cause unique to patients undergoing TURP, and what we believe to be the cause of this patient's hyponatremia, is the "TURP syndrome."