What causes central pontine myelinolysis?

What causes central pontine myelinolysis?

The most frequent cause of central pontine myelinolysis is a rapid increase in sodium levels. This can happen during treatment to correct low sodium levels (hyponatremia).

Sodium is an important electrolyte in your body and helps maintain fluid balance in your cells. Excess alcohol use, liver disease and many other health conditions can cause low sodium levels. Untreated hyponatremia can lead to severe illness and hospitalization.

Once hospitalized, healthcare providers correct low sodium levels with an intravenous (IV) sodium solution. CPM can happen when your sodium level rises too fast.