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How much sodium is in Xyrem?

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Sep 26, 2024.

Official answer

by Drugs.com

Xyrem has a high salt content (salt is also known as sodium). People with heart failure, high blood pressure, kidney disease, or on a low salt diet should consider how much salt (sodium) is in each dose of Xyrem.

The sodium content per nightly dose of Xyrem is as follows:

Xyrem dose Sodium content (nightly exposure)
3 g per night 550 mg
4.5 g per night 820 mg
6 g per night 1100 mg
7.5 g per night 1400 mg
9 g per night 1640 mg

The usual starting dose of Xyrem in adults is 4.5 grams (g) per night increasing to a usual maintenance dose of 6g to 9g at night. Recommended dosages in children depend on their weight and your doctor will advise you on the initial dose for your child.

To put the sodium content of Xyrem into context, a teaspoon of table salt contains about 2300 mg sodium.

  • The sodium content of Xyrem is 1640 mg/day at its highest dose of 9 gram per night.
  • This is the equivalent of 4 large containers of French fries.
  • This nightly dose of Xyrem exceeds the American Heart Association's ideal total daily sodium intake of no more than 1500 mg/day by 109%, without taking into account other sources of sodium from foods and liquids throughout the day.
  • Xyrem carries warnings about its high sodium content.

Cutting back on sodium can significantly improve blood pressure, heart health and kidney function.

References

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