Tag: Isotonic solutions

Did you know that improperly balanced intravenous fluid can lead to serious neurological injury? Understanding what are two examples of isotonic solutions is crucial for safe medical treatments and maintaining cellular health by preventing swelling or shrinkage of cells. These solutions possess the same concentration of solutes as human blood, ensuring a balanced internal environment when administered for hydration or other therapies.

Over 200 million liters of intravenous fluids are used annually in the United States, with normal saline being the most common. Given its widespread use, many wonder, does normal saline increase hydration effectively, or is it more complex than that?

The human body tightly regulates the osmolality of its fluids to maintain cellular function, with blood plasma normally maintained within a narrow range of 275–295 mOsm/kg. The osmolality of the peripheral vein is identical to this systemic blood osmolality, a critical factor for safely administering intravenous (IV) fluids. Variations in the osmolality of infused fluids can have significant physiological consequences for the patient.