Severe hypernatremia in a nursing home resident

Introduction

Hypernatremia is defined as increase of serum sodium concentration more than 145 meq per liter [1]. It is a common electrolyte abnormality that is associated with increased mortality [2,3]. We present a case of severe hypernatremia in a nursing home resident with mild to moderate neurological symptoms.

Case presentation

64-year-old lady with a past medical history of severe intellectual disability and spastic quadriplegia who was sent from her nursing home to the ER due to altered mental status and refusal to drink or eat for 4-5 days.