Tag: D5w

While it may seem intuitive to use common intravenous fluids like normal saline (NS) or lactated Ringer’s (LR) to treat hypernatremia, neither is the primary choice for correcting the elevated sodium level. The therapeutic strategy depends heavily on the patient's volume status and requires a different approach using hypotonic solutions to safely restore fluid balance and lower sodium levels.

Intravenous (IV) fluids are administered to a significant portion of hospitalized patients, with usage rates varying from 7% to 54% across different hospitals. A common question in clinical practice is, 'Why would you give D5?', referring to Dextrose 5% in Water (D5W), a unique IV solution.