Sodium Correction Rate Calculator
Calculate the safe IV fluid infusion rate to correct hyponatremia without exceeding the 10-12 mEq/L per 24-hour safety limit.
Use the Sodium Correction Rate Calculator
Patient Parameters
Recommended max increase: 10-12 mEq/L in 24 hours.
Fill in the patient parameters and click
Calculate Rate to see results.
Correction Rate Exceeds Recommended Safety Limit
Rate below is capped at safe limits (max 10 mEq/L in 24 h, 18 mEq/L in 48 h). Confirm with the treating physician before administration.
Recommended Infusion Rate
Total Body Water
--
liters
Na Change per Liter
--
mEq/L per liter infused
Total Volume Needed
--
mL over the duration
Desired Correction
--
mEq/L
Adrogue-Madias Formula Used
TBW = -- (sex factor) x weight
Delta Na per L = (Infusate Na - Current Na) / (TBW + 1)
Volume needed = Target correction / Delta Na per L x 1000 mL
Rate (mL/hr) = Volume needed / Duration (hrs)
Reference: Adrogue HJ, Madias NE. Hyponatremia. N Engl J Med. 2000;342(21):1581-1589.
Clinical Disclaimer: This calculator is for educational and estimation purposes only. Serum sodium must be monitored every 2-4 hours during active correction. All IV fluid orders must be reviewed and confirmed by a licensed physician or clinical pharmacist. This tool does not replace clinical judgment.
Summary
This calculator uses the Adrogue-Madias formula to estimate how much a chosen IV fluid will change serum sodium per liter infused, then computes the infusion rate (mL/hr) needed to correct hyponatremia at a safe pace. Enter the patient's current and target sodium levels, weight, sex, and fluid type to get an estimated rate. Always verify calculations with a clinical pharmacist or physician before administration.
How it works
- Enter the patient's current serum sodium (mEq/L) and target sodium (mEq/L).
- Select patient sex and enter body weight (kg) to estimate total body water (TBW).
- Choose the IV fluid type to determine its electrolyte content.
- The calculator applies the Adrogue-Madias formula to find change in sodium per liter.
- It then computes the IV infusion rate (mL/hr) to hit the target within 24 hours.
- A safety alert appears if the desired correction exceeds 10-12 mEq/L per 24 hours.
Use cases
- Estimate IV infusion rates for symptomatic hyponatremia in the ED or ICU.
- Double-check nursing orders for sodium correction speed.
- Educate medical students on the Adrogue-Madias formula.
- Compare correction rates across different IV fluid choices.
- Verify that planned correction stays within safe osmotic demyelination thresholds.
- Adjust targets for patients at high risk of osmotic demyelination syndrome.