Hypernatremia and intracranial pressure: more questions than answers
- PMID: 23294598
- PMCID: PMC4057414
- DOI: 10.1186/cc11888
Hypernatremia and intracranial pressure: more questions than answers
Abstract
The observational literature suggests that hypernatremia is associated with worse outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury. In a previous issue of Critical Care, Wells and colleagues add to this literature by failing to show an association between hypernatremia and reduced intracranial pressure. However, we must bear in mind many limitations of observational methods before eliminating hyperosmolar therapy from our armamentarium.
Comment in
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Authors' response.Crit Care. 2013;17(1):401. Crit Care. 2013. PMID: 25215361 No abstract available.
Comment on
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The relationship between serum sodium and intracranial pressure when using hypertonic saline to target mild hypernatremia in patients with head trauma.Crit Care. 2012 Oct 15;16(5):R193. doi: 10.1186/cc11678. Crit Care. 2012. PMID: 23068293 Free PMC article.
References
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- Wells DL, Swanson JM, Wood GC, Magnotti LJ, Boucher BA, Croce MA, Harrison CG, Muhlbauer MS, Fabian TC. The relationship between serum sodium and intracranial pressure when using hypertonic saline to target mild hypernatremia in patients with head trauma. Crit Care. 2012;17:R193. doi: 10.1186/cc11678. - DOI - PMC - PubMed