Sodium Chloride 23.4%

Sodium Chloride Injection, USP, 23.4%, is indicated as an additive in parenteral fluid therapy for use in patients who have special problems of sodium electrolyte intake or excretion. It is intended to meet the specific requirements of the patient with unusual fluid and electrolyte needs. After available clinical and laboratory information is considered and correlated, the appropriate number of milliequivalents of sodium chloride required can be withdrawn from Sodium Chloride Injection, USP, 23.4% and diluted for use.

Sodium Chloride Injection is indicated for the treatment of sodium, chloride and water deficiencies that commonly occur in many diseases. Isotonic Sodium Chloride Injection should be limited to cases in which the chloride loss is greater than the sodium loss, as in vomiting from pyloric obstruction, or in which the loss is about equal, as in vomiting from duodenal, jejunal or ileal obstruction and in the replacement of aspirated gastrointestinal fluids.

The toxic symptoms that follow various forms of intestinal obstruction are accompanied by a marked reduction of blood chloride and often sodium chloride has a lifesaving effect. Symptoms of sodium chloride deficiency are very similar to those of Addison’s disease and large doses of sodium chloride will produce temporary alleviation of the symptoms. Other disorders in which sodium chloride is therapeutically useful include extensive burns, failure of gastric secretion and postoperative intestinal paralysis.

Surgical patients should seldom receive salt- containing solutions immediately following surgery unless factors producing salt depletion are present. Because of renal retention of salt during surgery, additional electrolyte given intravenously may result in fluid retention, edema and overloading of the circulation.

This product contains aluminum that may be toxic. Aluminum may reach toxic levels with prolonged parenteral administration if kidney function is impaired. Premature neonates are particularly at risk because their kidneys are immature, and they require large amounts of calcium and phosphate solutions, which contain aluminum. Research indicates that patients with impaired kidney function, including premature neonates, who receive parenteral levels of aluminum at greater than 4 to 5 mcg/kg/day accumulate aluminum at levels associated with central nervous system and bone toxicity.