Sodium Correction Rate Calculator for Hypo- and Hypernatremia

Yes, correcting hypernatremia too quickly can cause water to shift rapidly into brain cells, leading to cerebral edema, seizures, permanent neurological damage, or herniation. A gradual reduction of serum sodium by no more than 0.5 mEq/L per hour, or a total of 10 to 12 mEq/L over a 24-hour period, is generally recommended to protect the central nervous system.

Total body water is estimated by multiplying the patient's body weight in kilograms by a sex-specific correction factor. Standard clinical practice uses approximately 0.60 for adult males and 0.50 for adult females, though these fractions are often adjusted downward in elderly or cachectic patients due to lower relative muscle and water mass.

The foundational formula used is the Adrogué-Madias formula, which calculates the predicted change in serum sodium per liter of administered fluid. It takes the sodium concentration of the infusate minus the current serum sodium, divided by the patient's estimated total body water plus one liter representing the infused volume.

A sodium level of 120 mEq/L represents severe hyponatremia. Correction must be approached cautiously, often utilizing isotonic or hypertonic saline depending on whether neurological symptoms like seizures are present. Calculate the exact hourly infusion rate using this tool to ensure the upward sodium shift stays well within safe medical boundaries.