Emergency Medical Minute

Contributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: Normal Saline (NS) contains 154 mEq of both Sodium (Na) and Chloride (Cl),  and has a pH of 5.5 Normal Na and Cl in adult humans are about 140 mEq/L and 103 mEq/L. respectively   Excess negative charge resulting from hyperchloremia is managed via bicarbonate excretion leading to loss of base Overall, administration of NS drives metabolic acidosis Lactated Ringers (LR) contains 130 mEq of Na and 109 mEq Cl, and has a pH of 6.5   LR components are closer to physiologic levels thus may generally be a more efficacious fluid choice   NS is still frequently given in scenarios where there is concern for increased intracranial pressure or existing hypochloremic alkalosis from emesis.  ReferencesLi H, Sun SR, Yap JQ, Chen JH, Qian Q. 0.9% saline is neither normal nor physiological. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2016;17(3):181-187. doi:10.1631/jzus.B1500201 ​​Lehr AR, Rached-d'Astous S, Barrowman N, et al. Balanced Versus Unbalanced Fluid in Critically Ill Children: Sy