The most common cause of hypernatremia

The primary cause of hypernatremia is dehydration resulting from excessive water loss that is not promptly corrected. Etiologies include diarrhea, vomiting, excessive sodium intake, fever, profuse sweating, intracellular shift of water, diabetes insipidus, overuse of sodium-containing medications, pituitary gland damage, other electrolyte imbalances, impaired sodium excretion, sickle cell disease, and Cushing’s syndrome.

Primary Cause of Hypernatremia

Hypernatremia generally refers to a clinical condition characterized by a serum sodium concentration exceeding 145 mmol/L. It can occur at any age but is most commonly observed in elderly individuals.

Clinical manifestations of hypernatremia primarily include thirst, oliguria, fatigue, nausea, muscle cramps, tremors, vomiting, elevated body temperature, ataxia, restlessness, dizziness, irritability, apathy, somnolence, confusion, seizures, fever, epileptic seizures, headache, convulsions, and coma.

The mainstay of hypernatremia treatment is water replacement. In mild cases, patients should be encouraged to increase oral fluid intake and restrict dietary sodium. Diuretics promoting sodium excretion—such as ethacrynic acid or furosemide—may also be administered to lower serum sodium levels. In severe cases unresponsive to pharmacotherapy, dialysis may be employed to remove excess sodium from the body.

Maintain a quiet indoor environment, ensure adequate rest, and minimize exposure to noise stimuli.

Dietarily, emphasize light, palatable foods; increase water intake; consume rice water; and eat abundant fresh fruits and vegetables—such as apples and peaches.

Avoid greasy, hard-to-digest, high-salt, high-fat, spicy, or otherwise irritating foods—including fried chicken, youtiao (Chinese fried dough sticks), barbecued items, fermented tofu, pickled vegetables, milk, and fatty meats. Smoking and alcohol consumption must also be avoided.

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