The enigma of hypernatremia: Ampicillin/sulbactam as an unexpected cause—A case report

Abstract

Pharmacological hypernatremia is a common electrolyte disorder observed in hospital settings. However, its association with antimicrobial agents remains under investigation. To the best of our knowledge, there are no documented cases of hypernatremia resulting from the use of ampicillin/sulbactam. We present the case of a 58-year-old male who developed this electrolyte imbalance during hospitalization, which was refractory to conventional management. The patient only exhibited significant clinical improvement upon modification and discontinuation of the antibiotic, thereby suggesting an unusual etiology for hypernatremia.