Open AccessManagement of hypernatremias
Author(s) -
F Salvati
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
italian journal of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.134
H-Index - 10
eISSN - 1877-9352
pISSN - 1877-9344
DOI - 10.4081/itjm.2007.2.19
Subject(s) - hypernatremia , medicine , electrolyte disorder , serum electrolytes , electrolyte imbalance , intensive care medicine , pathophysiology , sodium , hyponatremia , gastroenterology , chemistry , organic chemistry
BACKGROUND The hypernatremias (serum sodium concentration value exceeding 145 mMol per Liter) are common electrolyte disorders, frequently developing in hospitalized patients, sometimes as an iatrogenic condition. Hypernatremia often causes cellular dehydratation and the resultant morbidity may be serious or even life-threatening. Some of its major complications result not from the disorder itself but from the inappropriate treatment of it. CONCLUSIONS In this article we focus on the pathophysiology of these electrolyte disorders (hypovolemic, euvolemic and hypervolemic hypernatremias) and on the management of the sodium and water derangement and of the clinical complications