Sodium, urine

Alternative names:

urinary 24 hours sodium; urine Na+

Normal values:

40 to 220 mEq/L/day

Note: mEq/L/day = milliequivalents per liter per day

What abnormal results mean:

Greater-than-normal urine sodium levels may indicate:

• adrenocortical insufficiency
• dehydration
• diabetic ketoacidosis
• hypothyroidism
• dilutional hyponatremia (SIADH)
• starvation
• toxemia of pregnancy

Lower-than-normal urine sodium levels may indicate:

• aldosteronism
• congestive heart failure
• Cushing's syndrome
• diarrhea
• malabsorption (inadequate absorption of nutrients from the intestinal tract)
• renal failure

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:

• acute tubular necrosis
• hepatorenal syndrome
• medullary cystic disease
• post-streptococcal GN
• prerenal azotemia