Doctors, do you why ‘normal saline’ is called normal?
For example, in an emergency situation when a patient has lost blood secondary to trauma, crystalloids such as the normal saline is usually used to resuscitate the patient. There is however no ideal resuscitation fluid as it is one
- that produces a predictable and sustainable increase in intravascular volume
- has a chemical composition as close as possibile to that of the extravascular fluid
- Is metabolized and completely excreted without accumulation in tissues
- does not produce adverse metabolic or systemic effects
- Is cost effective in improving patient outcomes.
Saline’s designation as normal was based on an erroneous calculation of the salt concentration in the human blood as 0.9% back in 1882… it’s actually 0.6%. See how a wrong calculation has become the standard today! You may not be correct but seek to try out something new and worthwhile.
