3% saline

Indications

• treatment of symptomatic hyponatremia

Dosage

• 513 meq Na+/L
• infusion to increase serum sodium < 0.5 meq/L/hour &
  • < 10 meq/L/24 hours, < 18 meq/L/48 hrs
  • target: 4-6 meq/24 hours
  • central pontine myelinolysis is danger of too rapidly correcting sodium
  • serum Na+ is usually corrected to 120 meq/L

Adverse effects

• D5W +/- desmopressin for overcorrection of hyponatremia
• IV furosemide (Lasix) may be given for volume overload

More general terms

• saline