What is the listed critical range for sodium?

• A. 120-160 mg/dL
• B. 110-150 mg/dL
• C. 130-170 mg/dL
• D. 100-140 mg/dL

Answer: (A)

Critical values alert clinicians to life-threatening situations and must be reported immediately. For sodium, the commonly used cutoffs are around 120 and 160, with values below 120 or above 160 considered critical. The listed range of 120–160 aligns with these threshold values used to flag urgent results. The other ranges either fall inside or outside these practical cutoffs and don’t match the point at which urgent action is triggered. (Note: sodium is normally reported in mEq/L; some sources list related units differently, but the principle is the same: values beyond the 120–160 threshold require prompt attention.)