Hypernatremia resident survival guide

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Hypernatremia
Resident Survival Guide
Overview
Causes
FIRE
Diagnosis
Treatment
Do's
Don'ts


Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Mounika Lakhmalla, MBBS[2]

Overview

Hypernatremia is an electrolyte disturbance consisting of an elevated sodium level in the blood. It is defined as a serum sodium concentration exceeding 145 mEq/L. This is a relatively common problem particularly among young children, older adults, and hospitalized/critically ill who depend upon others to control their water intake.

Causes

Life Threatening Causes

Conditions that may cause death or permanent disability within the next 24 hours

Common Causes

The most common cause of hypernatremia is not an excess of sodium, but a relative deficit of free water in the body. Hypernatremia can be caused by many disease processes and drugs.

  • Primary sodium excess is a rare cause of hypernatremia and can be due to massive salt ingestion or minaralocorticoid excess and administration of hypertonic sodium-containing solutions.
  • Hypernatremia can also occur in cases of primary hypothalamic disease due to impaired thirst (hypodipsia) with or without concurrent diabetes insipidus.

Diagnosis

Shown below is an algorithm summarizing the diagnosis of [[disease name]] according the the [...] guidelines.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Treatment

 
 
 
 
 
Serum sodium > 145
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Urine output
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Low < 200
 
 
 
High
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
High urine osmolality
 
 
 
Urine osmolality
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hypotonic fluid loss
GI losses nausea, vomiting, renal losses, diuretics
 
Low
 
High
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Calculate free water deficit (see below)
Replace both free water deficit and maintenance fluid
Rate of correction no more than 1mEq/L/h
Replace 1/2 fluid in 24 hrs, other 1/2 in 24-48 hrs
Hypotension - Normal saline, Stable D5W
 
Negative water
deprivation test
 
Osmotic diuresis
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Diabetes insipidus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DDAVP
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Increased urine osmolality
 
 
 
 
 
urine osmolality unchanged
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Do's

Don'ts

References

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