Blood volume must be restored in a person who has lost large amounts of blood

due to serious injury. This is often accomplished by infusing isotonic NaCl

solution into the blood. Why is this better than infusing an isoosmotic solution of
a penetrating solute, such as urea?
Isotonic solutions are IV fluids that have a similar concentration of dissolved particles as
blood. Such as a solution of 0.9% Normal Saline (0.9% NaCl). Due to the concentration of the
IV fluid being similar to blood, the fluid stays in the intravascular space and osmosis does not
cause fluid movement between compartments.

It is better to infuse isotonic NaCl solution into the blood because it is a nonpenetrating
solute, it restores blood volume without causing a redistribution of water between body fluid
compartments due to osmosis. An isoosmotic solution of a penetrating solute would only
partially restore blood volume because some water would enter the intracellular fluid by osmosis
as the solute enters cells. And could also result to damaging the cells as their volume expands
beyond normal.

References

Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN). (n.d.). 15.3 intravenous solutions. Nursing
Fundamentals. Retrieved February 14, 2022, from
https://wtcs.pressbooks.pub/nursingfundamentals/chapter/15-3-intravenous-solutions/