Hypernatremia: Is a serum sodium concentration >

Hypernatremia is a serum sodium concentration > 145 mEq/L (> 145 mmol/L). It implies a deficit of total body water relative to total body sodium, caused by water intake being less than water losses. A major symptom is thirst; other clinical manifestations are primarily neurologic (due to an osmotic shift of water out of brain cells), including confusion, neuromuscular excitability, seizures, and coma. Diagnosis requires measurement of serum sodium and sometimes other laboratory tests ... Hypernatremia is a high concentration of sodium in the blood that can affect brain function and cause dehydration. Learn about the common causes, such as low or high fluid intake, diabetes insipidus, and salt poisoning, and how to diagnose and treat this condition. Hypernatremia is a common electrolyte problem and is defined as a rise in serum sodium concentration to a value exceeding 145 mmol/L. It is strictly defined as a hyperosmolar condition caused by a decrease in total body water (TBW) relative to electrolyte content. Introduction Hypernatremia, serum sodium concentration ( [Na +]) of >145 mmol/L, represents a state of total body water deficiency absolute or relative to total body Na + and potassium. It can result from (1) water loss (e.g., diabetes insipidus [DI]), (2) hypotonic fluid loss (osmotic diarrhea), or (3) hypertonic fluid gain (Na + -containing fluids). Hypernatremia often occurs in pediatric, geriatric, and critically ill patients. Hypernatremia induces diverse effects in multiple organ ...