What does this calculator correct for?

It estimates how much severe hypertriglyceridemia may lower an indirect-ISE sodium result through pseudohyponatremia. It is an educational estimate, not a diagnosis.

Which triglyceride unit is required?

Enter triglycerides in mg/dL. The calculator estimates the excess-triglyceride effect above a 150 mg/dL reference value.

When is a direct sodium measurement preferred?

When pseudohyponatremia is suspected, confirm with direct ion-selective electrode testing, such as blood gas or point-of-care sodium, and compare serum osmolality.

Does pseudohyponatremia require sodium treatment?

Pseudohyponatremia is a laboratory artifact. Treatment decisions depend on the full clinical picture, osmolality, lab method and clinician review.

No. All calculations happen in your browser; nothing is sent to a server.

Triglyceride Sodium Correction Calculator

Quick answer: triglycerides and pseudohyponatremia

Very high triglycerides can make sodium look falsely low when sodium is measured by indirect ion-selective electrode (indirect ISE) methods. This is called pseudohyponatremia. The sodium in plasma water may be normal, but the reported sodium per liter of serum appears lower because excess lipids reduce the water fraction of the sample.

This calculator estimates the possible triglyceride-related sodium artifact using:

Estimated sodium adjustment = 0.002 × max(triglycerides - 150, 0)
Estimated corrected sodium = measured sodium + sodium adjustment

The estimate is intentionally conservative and educational. If the result matters clinically, confirm with a direct sodium method, measured serum osmolality and professional lab interpretation.

How to Use Triglyceride Sodium Correction Calculator

The Triglyceride Sodium Correction Calculator estimates a sodium value adjusted for elevated triglycerides. Enter the measured serum sodium in mmol/L, then enter the triglyceride concentration in mg/dL. The result area shows the corrected sodium, the sodium adjustment, and whether the corrected value falls below, within, or above a common sodium range.

This calculator is intended for educational discussion of triglyceride-related sodium changes, including pseudohyponatremia concepts. It is especially useful when a low measured sodium appears alongside markedly elevated triglycerides and the user wants to understand the direction and size of a possible correction.

The formula is intentionally simple. Real interpretation depends on the laboratory method, direct versus indirect ion-selective electrode measurement, serum osmolality, glucose, protein concentration, volume status, and the underlying cause of hypertriglyceridemia. Use the corrected value as a prompt for further review, not as a standalone diagnosis.

Formula & Theory - Triglyceride Sodium Correction Calculator

The Triglyceride Sodium Correction Calculator uses:

Triglyceride excess = max(triglycerides in mg/dL - 150, 0)
Sodium adjustment (mmol/L) = 0.002 x triglyceride excess
Estimated corrected sodium (mmol/L) = measured sodium + sodium adjustment

The reference triglyceride value is 150 mg/dL. When triglycerides are above 150 mg/dL, the adjustment is positive. When triglycerides are below that reference, the adjustment is treated as zero because normal triglyceride values do not meaningfully create pseudohyponatremia. For example:

Measured sodium = 132 mmol/L
Triglycerides = 600 mg/dL
Triglyceride excess = 600 - 150 = 450 mg/dL
Sodium adjustment = 0.002 x 450 = 0.9 mmol/L
Estimated corrected sodium = 132 + 0.9 = 132.9 mmol/L

Severe cases can show a larger gap. For example, triglycerides of 5,000 mg/dL would produce an estimated adjustment of 9.7 mmol/L above the 150 mg/dL reference. That is the kind of range where pseudohyponatremia becomes much more plausible, especially if indirect ISE sodium is low while measured serum osmolality is normal or high.

Why indirect ISE can read falsely low

Sodium is dissolved in the water phase of serum. Indirect ISE methods dilute the sample and assume a normal water fraction. When triglycerides or proteins are extremely high, the non-water fraction expands. The back-calculated sodium concentration can then be falsely low.

Direct ISE methods, such as many blood gas or point-of-care analyzers, measure sodium activity in the plasma water phase without the same dilution assumption. That is why direct sodium is preferred when pseudohyponatremia is suspected.

Interpretation checklist

Compare the sodium result with measured serum osmolality.
Check whether sodium was measured by direct ISE or indirect ISE.
Review triglycerides, cholesterol and total protein from the same sample when available.
Consider glucose separately because hyperglycemia causes translocational hyponatremia and uses a different correction formula.
Do not use this calculator to decide sodium therapy.

Use Cases for Triglyceride Sodium Correction Calculator

The Triglyceride Sodium Correction Calculator is useful for lab medicine teaching, electrolyte case review, hypertriglyceridemia education, and explaining pseudohyponatremia. It can help students compare the measured sodium with an estimated corrected value.

In real care, confirm the laboratory method and consider serum osmolality and the full metabolic panel. Severe hypertriglyceridemia or abnormal sodium values should be evaluated by qualified clinicians.