Diagnostic and therapeutic approach to hypernatremia

Abstract Hypernatremia occurs when the plasma sodium concentration is greater than 145 mmol/L. Depending on the duration, hypernatremia can be differentiated into acute and chronic. According to severity: mild, moderate and threatening hypernatremia. Finally, depending on pathogenesis, hypernatremia can be defined as hypervolemic, hypovolemic, and euvolemic. Acute hypervolemic hypernatremia is often secondary to increased sodium intake (hypertonic NaCl and NaHCO 3 solutions). Instead, chronic hypervolemic hypernatremia may be an expression of primary hyperaldosteronism. Euvolemic hypernatremia occurs in diabetes insipidus: depending on the underlying pathogenesis, it can be classified into two basic types: neurogenic (or central) and nephrogenic. The neurogenic form may be triggered by traumatic, vascular or infectious events; the nephrogenic form may be due to pharmacological causes, such as lithium, or non-pharmacological ones, such as hypokalemia. For hypovolemic hypernatremia, possible explanations are renal or extrarenal losses. The main goal of treatment of hypernatremia is the restoration of plasma tonicity. In particular, if the imbalance has occurred acutely, rapid correction improves the prognosis by preventing the effects of cellular dehydration; if hypernatremia has developed slowly, over a period of days, a slow correction rate (no more than 0.4 mmol/L/h) is recommended.