hypertonic

1. Pathology. Having extreme muscular or arterial tension.
2. Chemistry. Having the higher osmotic pressure of two solutions.

A solution more concentrated than the body fluids; see isotonic.

Having an osmotic pressure greater than that of the solution with which it is compared.

1. Applied to muscles that are too tight.

2. Applied to a solution that tends to cause the volume of a cell to decrease. Thus, the cell, when immersed in a hypertonic solution, tends to lose water and shrink. The term is applied to high-energy, concentrated drinks that have a higher total salt concentration than body fluids.

The state or quality of being hypertonic.