Saline drip
Hyponatremia is a far more serious condition than was originally thought. While reviewing some of the standard therapies associated with symptoms, I came across some facts that caused me to do a double take. As anyone who has ever been admitted to hospital for treatment knows, the intravenous saline drip is standard therapy and the fastest way to deliver fluids and medications throughout the body. Normal saline drip is the commonly-used term for a solution of 0.91% salt (sodium chloride). The amount of saline infused depends largely on the particular needs of a patient, but on average is typically between 1.5 and 3 liters a day for an adult. So, in order to maintain an average adult in optimum health during a hospital stay, somewhere between 13.7 – 27.3 grams of salt per day is administered. Of course, that doesn't even include the salt that is consumed along with the food. If the hospital dieticians were able to provide meals that corresponded to the current recommended levels, this would add an additional 6 grams of salt for a total of somewhere between 20 and 33 grams of salt a day. And don't forget, every four hours or so, they come by to check on your blood pressure.
I wonder how hospitals will comply with the salt intakes recommended by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee? After all, the Dietary Guidelines recommend 4 - 6 grams of salt per day, about 1/5 of what is currently administered in hospitals!!
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