What is a common cause of hypernatremia?

Hypernatremia, which refers to an elevated sodium concentration in the blood, is commonly caused by dehydration or excessive sodium intake. When the body loses more water than it takes in, or if there is an excessive intake of sodium without adequate water, the sodium concentration in the plasma increases. This can happen in various situations, such as when a person is unable to access water, experiences high fever, or has excessive losses from the skin (like sweating) or from urination.

Inadequate fluid intake leads to a relative increase in serum sodium as the volume of water in the body decreases, causing hypernatremia. Similarly, if a person consumes large amounts of sodium (for instance, via diet or intravenous solutions) without an equivalent intake of water, this imbalance also results in hypernatremia.

Understanding these mechanisms is critical for recognizing and managing hypernatremia in clinical settings.