What solutions treat hypernatremia and hyponatremia?

onduty23 · Apr 17, 2005

Hi,
I am a nursing 101 student and we are currently learning about fluid, electrolytes and the significance of what illnesses are manifested by a deficit or excess. Right now, I am studying Isotonic, hypertonic, and hypotonic solutions and was wondering if anybody could give me some feed back on which of these solutions treat hypernatremia and hyponatremia. Thanks in advance. :)

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gwenith, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2005

Depends on the degree of hyponatraemia and what other fluids have been given and what the desired outcome is. I have given 3% saline to raise a sodium and even administered 27% saline on rare occasions.

Conversly if the sodium is high we will give either 5% dextrose or plain water. There are many patients for whom we have given water 200 mls down the NG tube to reverse hypernatraemia.

Nrs_angie, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2005

This was confusing to me also until I read the article... You should check it out. I am not sure which issue it was... but it was recent. I will try to find it and let you know.

It basically said that as you know isotonic is the same tonicity as plasma... and we are supposed to have more 'salt' outside the cells than inside the cells

If someone is hypernatremic they have too much "salt" outside the cells and since water goes where salt goes... the salt pulls the water out of the cells making them dehydrated. like with edema

If someone is hyponatremic they have too little 'salt' outside the cells and tooo much water inside the cells causing them to swell.

for hypernatremia we would give 1/2 NSS (.45% normal saline) to dilute the salt.

for hyponatremia we would give 3% saline to pull some water out of the cells.

Usually the preferred solution is always isotonic (.9% NSS)