Consequences of hypernatraemia

1.      Neuromuscular irritability with twitches, hyperreflexia, seizures, coma, and death result from cellular dehydration.

2.      Brain shrinkage induced by hypernatraemia can cause vascular rupture with cerebral bleeding, subarachnoid haemorrhage, permanent brain damage and death.

Patient with hypernatraemia generally have reduced cerebral function, either as a primary problem or as a consequence of the hypernatraemia itself, which results in dehydration of cerebral neurons and brain shrinkage. In the presence of an intact thirst mechanism and preserved capacity to obtain water hypernatraemia may not progress very far as water intake proceeds. Where adequate water is not obtained bradycardia, dizziness, confusion, weakness and ultimately coma and death can result.