Seeing the sodium in a patient with hypernatremia

C Kopp, P Linz, M Hammon, C Schöfl… - Kidney …, 2012 - kidney-international.org
A 34-year-old patient with diabetes insipidus after removal of a hypothalamic tumor,
developed difficulties with his treatment and presented with hypernatremia. On admission
his blood pressure was normal, he was confused, had polyuria and secondary
hyperaldosteronism, and his serum [Na+] was 162 mmol/l. We lowered the serum [Na+] with
free water and desmopressin so that after 13 days his serum [Na+] was 141mmol/l and his
symptoms were improved. We reviewed the patient's charts and discovered that his body …