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Defining Hypernatremia and Chronicity
- Hypernatremia, serum sodium >145 mEq/L, can be acute or chronic (chronic >48 hours).
- Almost all hypernatremia cases are chronic, even if symptomatic, unlike hyponatremia.
Causes of Hypernatremia
- Hypernatremia results from water loss exceeding intake, consider skin, GI, and renal losses.
- Impaired intake due to hypothalamic issues or altered mental status also contributes.
Assessing a Hypernatremia Patient
- Investigate free water access, feeding methods, urine output, and fevers in hypernatremia cases.
- Consider potential causes like GI losses, renal issues, and insensible losses.