Hyponatremia is a condition in which there is a low sodium level in the blood. Individuals with cirrhosis may develop low blood sodium as a complication of their liver disease. In these patients, the presence of low blood sodium may exacerbate other complications such as encephalopathy, resulting in confusion, drowsiness, or coma. It may also affect the ability of the body to fight infection. In certain cases, cirrhotic patients may be hospitalized for the treatment of their low blood sodium. The drug tolvaptan is currently FDA approved for the treatment of hyponatremia in patients with cirrhosis. Although it has been shown to increase the sodium level, the clinical trials that led to its approval did not otherwise assess clinical benefit of the drug. This study is designed to determine whether patients with cirrhosis derive a clinical benefit when they receive tolvaptan for the treatment of hyponatremia within 2 days of admission. Specifically, whether it is associated with shortened length of stay and improvement in other complications of cirrhosis.
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Length of Hospital Stay
Timeframe: participants will be followed for the duration of hospital stay, an expected average of 2 weeks