Hypernatremia

With hypernatremia electrolyte imbalance is referred to with increased sodium content in the blood serum. It is the antithesis of hyponatremia. At this electrolyte disorder occurs when the body has too much water is removed (dehydration ). In rare cases it is the result of excessive sodium intake, such as by drinking salt water.

• Decreased fluid intake (affects mainly older people who have a decreased sensation of thirst )
• Increased water excretion (urine, sweat) caused either by medication (diuretics, lithium) or disease (diabetes insipidus )
• An excess of mineralocorticoids, which usually occurs in connection with the Conn's syndrome or Cushing's syndrome.

When water loss, the sodium levels are normal in itself, but the sodium concentration in the blood rises by the lack of water. Even a slight increase triggers strong thirst, usually followed by hydration to eliminate the hypernatremia.

Symptoms

A hypernatremia can often be difficult to establish because the symptoms are quite diffuse. Affected complain of general weakness, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. It can also edema. In severe cases, it leads to seizures and unconsciousness. In infants and neonates, the hypernatremia is often only through the routine laboratory monitoring. Otherwise, symptoms such as muscular hypotonia, lethargy, hyperexcitability, tremor, seizures or apnea show.

Of severe cases is when the sodium concentration in the blood plasma over 158 mmol / l (normal values ​​are in the range 135-145 mmol / l). Values ​​above 180 mmol / l are lethal.

Treatment

A hypernatremia can be fixed quite easily by hydration, which is done either orally or intravenously. This must however be done slowly, since rapid reduction of the sodium concentration can be life threatening. This is due to that in prolonged hypernatremia, the water content decreases in the cells. A rapid lowering of serum sodium would lead to osmotic water influx into the cells and swell them. In the brain, this may lead to edema and, due to limited through the skull bone expansion ability to brain damage. Therefore, a severe hypernatremia should always be treated by a doctor.