Stop Hypernatremia, Use Metolazone, for Aggressive, Controlled, Effective Diuresis

Summary

Patients who are on mechanical ventilation in an intensive care unit often require diursis as part of their pre-extubation regimen. The drug of choice for diuresis has traditionally been furosemide. However, this drug cause hypernatremia (a rise in serum sodium) in a significant proportion of patients. Hypernatremia is traditionally treated by providing free water supplementation to the patient. This strategy creates a vicious and unproductive cycle of giving free water, and then diuresing it off. We propose a strategy for breaking this cycle by using a second diuretic-- metolazone-- which has a tendency to rid the body of more sodium, thereby minimizing hypernatremia.

Timeline

Start

2012-06

Primary completion

2013-06

Completion

2013-06

Drugs

Indications