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Who’s most at risk of a high sodium level? But this is still uncommon, especially because people who are getting a lot of IV fluids are usually having their sodium level checked frequently. When this happens, it’s usually from people getting IV fluids, which can have a lot of sodium in them. It’s hard to do this simply through dietary intake and eating salt foods. On rare occasions, people get a high sodium level if too much salt enters the body. Gastrointestinal losses, like vomiting or diarrhea.Įxcessive urination, from things like diuretic medications or increased blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Sweating, such as from excessive heat, exercise, or even a fever. This can happen in a lot of different ways if people aren’t drinking enough fluids to replace that water they are losing. What causes a high sodium level (hypernatremia)?Ī high sodium level is usually caused by dehydration, so conditions that make the body lose water are often involved. Read on to find out the different causes of hypernatremia, how it is treated, and the potential complications.
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It’s also possible to develop hypernatremia if too much salt enters the body, but this is less common. This usually comes from dehydration, when there is not enough water in the body to properly dilute the sodium. Hypernatremia is a medical condition in which the sodium level is too high. Your sodium level is a measure of how much salt and water is in your body. Sodium is an electrolyte that is in your blood and the fluid that surrounds cells.
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