Composition of intravenous fluids

Fluid	Na+ (mmol/l)	K+ (mmol/l)	Ca2+ (mmol/l)	Cl– (mmol/l)	HCO3 –	Dext. (g/l)	Osmol. (mosm/l)
0.45% NaCl	77			77			155
0.9% NaCl	154			154			308
5% NaCl	856			856			1722
Ringer’s	147	4	2	155			310
Lactated Ringer’s (Hartmann’s)	131	5	2	111	29 *		280
Darrow’s	121	35		103	53 *		312
0.9% NaCl +
5.5% Dext.	154			154		50	560
0.18% NaCl +
4% Dext.	31			31		40	264
Duphalyte **		2.6	1.0	3.6		454	unknown

Dext. = dextrose; Osmol. = osmolality.

* Bicarbonate is present as lactate.

** Also contains a mixture of vitamins and small quantities of amino acids and 1.2 mmol/l of MgSO4