Concentrations
- Saline solution for irrigation
- Low, normal, and high concentrations
- High concentrations used in molecular biology
Normal Saline
- Solution of 0.90% w/v of NaCl
- Also referred to as physiological saline or isotonic saline
- Used in intravenous drips for dehydration or hypovolemia
- Rapid infusion can cause metabolic acidosis
- Osmolarity of normal saline is close to that of blood
Usage
- Saline used to flush wounds and skin abrasions
- No more effective than tap water for wound cleaning
- Used in IV therapy for rehydration or maintenance needs
- Saline with reduced concentrations used to avoid problems
- Saline used for nasal washes to relieve rhinitis and cold symptoms
Hypertonic Saline
- Used to hydrate thick secretions and aid expectoration
- 3% hypertonic saline used in critical care settings
- Inhalation of hypertonic saline helps in respiratory problems
- Recommended for cystic fibrosis treatment
- Xylitol with saline used in complementary medicine
Other
- Half-normal saline (0.45% NaCl) often with D5
- Quarter-normal saline (0.22% NaCl) with 5% dextrose
- Hypertonic saline used in perioperative fluid management
- Used in treating hyponatremia and cerebral edema
- Rapid correction of hyponatremia with saline increases risk of central pontine myelinolysis (CPM)
Solutions with Added Ingredients
- Ringers lactate solution
- Acetated Ringers solution
- Intravenous sugar solutions
- 5% dextrose in normal saline (D5NS)
- 10% dextrose in normal saline (D10NS)
History
- Saline originated during the Indian Blue cholera pandemic in 1831
- William Brooke OShaughnessy proposed injecting cholera patients with highly oxygenated salts
- Thomas Latta adopted OShaughnessy's treatment for cholera
- Sydney Ringer determined optimal salt concentrations for maintaining heart muscle tissue contractility
- Normal saline is considered a descendant of pre-Ringer solutions
Society and Culture
- Coconut water has been used as a substitute for normal saline in areas without access
- Use of coconut water as a substitute has not been well studied
See also
- Intravenous therapy
- Saline water
- Salinometer
References
- Sodium Chloride Injection - FDA prescribing information, side effects and uses
- British national formulary: BNF 69
- Critical Care Medicine: The Essentials
- Hypertonic Saline - FDA prescribing information, side effects and uses
- Fluids and Electrolytes in the Surgical Patient
Saline (also known as saline solution) is a mixture of sodium chloride (salt) and water. It has a number of uses in medicine including cleaning wounds, removal and storage of contact lenses, and help with dry eyes. By injection into a vein, it is used to treat dehydration such as that from gastroenteritis and diabetic ketoacidosis. Large amounts may result in fluid overload, swelling, acidosis, and high blood sodium. In those with long-standing low blood sodium, excessive use may result in osmotic demyelination syndrome.
 Saline solution for intravenous infusion | |
| Clinical data | |
|---|---|
| AHFS/Drugs.com | FDA Professional Drug Information |
| License data | |
| Routes of administration | intravenous, topical, subcutaneous |
| ATC code | |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | |
| PubChem CID | |
| DrugBank | |
| ChemSpider | |
| UNII | |
| KEGG | |
| ChEBI | |
| ChEMBL | |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | ClNa |
| Molar mass | 58.44 g·mol−1 |
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
| |
| |
Saline is in the crystalloid family of medications. It is most commonly used as a sterile 9 g of salt per litre (0.9%) solution, known as normal saline. Higher and lower concentrations may also occasionally be used. Saline is acidic, with a pH of 5.5 (due mainly to dissolved carbon dioxide).
The medical use of saline began around 1831. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. In 2020, sodium was the 274th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 1 million prescriptions.
