Warning Signs Of Bartter Syndrome

Constipation

Individuals affected by Bartter syndrome can experience constipation. When an individual is constipated, their stool is usually dry and hard, painful to pass, and may cause tissue injury. Bartter syndrome patients have a defect in the tubes of the kidneys causes too much salt excretion and subsequent fluid loss. Fluid volume depletion in the blood triggers the Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Increased aldosterone levels cause hydrogen ion accumulation that results in the depletion of potassium. Low blood potassium draws more potassium out of the intestinal muscle cells into the blood. Low potassium in the intestinal muscle cells causes them to have more resistance to membranous electrical current passage.

A reduction in muscle cell contraction in the intestinal tissues results from the decreased passage of electrical currents. An individual's stool stagnates when it does not have enough contraction to move it through the gastrointestinal tract. Stagnation in the large intestine causes the colon to absorb too much fluid from the stool inappropriately. When the stool passes infrequently, is dry, and is hard, the individual experiences constipation.

Learn about the symptom of Bartter syndrome related to salt next.