The following symptoms and complaints may indicate hypernatremia (excess sodium):
- Nonspecific symptoms: severe thirst* , feeling weak, fatigue, fever, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating.
- Skin and mucous membranes dry* .
- Oliguria (decreased urine volume with a daily maximum of 500 ml)* .
- Dyspnea (shortness of breath, as a result of pulmonary edema/water accumulation in the lungs)* * .
- Edema (water retention), peripheral.
- Neurological symptoms* /* * :
- Cephalgia (headache).
- Muscular fasciculations (involuntary movements of very small muscle groups).
- Hyperexcitability (hyperexcitability of the central nervous system) to seizures.
- Confusion and impaired consciousness:
- Somnolence (drowsiness with abnormal sleepiness).
- Coma (severe deep unconsciousness characterized by lack of response to address)
* In hypovolemic hypernatremia* * In hypervolemic hypernatremia.
Symptomatology of hypernatremia over time.
> 48 h, chronic | < 48 h, acute |
Headache | Cerebral seizures |
Impaired concentration | Rhabdomyolysis |
Lethargy | Annihilation headache |
Coma | Cerebral hemorrhage |
Muscle weakness | Coma |