hyperkalemia
Sign in to saveHyperkalemia is an elevated level of potassium (K+) in the blood. Normal potassium levels are between 3.5 and 5.0mmol/L (3.5 and 5.0mEq/L) with levels above 5.5mmol/L defined as hyperkalemia. Typically hyperkalemia does not cause symptoms. Occasionally when severe it can cause palpitations, muscle pain, muscle weakness, or numbness. Hyperkalemia can cause an abnormal heart rhythm which can result in cardiac arrest and death.
Key facts
- Medical condition (new).name
- Hyperkalemia
- Medical condition (new).synonyms
- Hyperkalaemia
- Medical condition (new).image
- ECG in hyperkalemia.svg
- Medical condition (new).caption
- Electrocardiography showing precordial leads in hyperkalemia.
- Medical condition (new).field
- Critical care medicine, nephrology
- Medical condition (new).symptoms
- Palpitations, muscle pain, muscle weakness, numbness
- Medical condition (new).complications
- Cardiac arrest
- Medical condition (new).causes
- Kidney failure, hypoaldosteronism, rhabdomyolysis, certain medications
- Medical condition (new).diagnosis
- Blood potassium > 5.5mmol/L, electrocardiogram
- Medical condition (new).differential
- Pseudohyperkalemia
- Medical condition (new).treatment
- Medications, low potassium diet, hemodialysis
- Medical condition (new).medication
- Calcium gluconate, dextrose with insulin, salbutamol, sodium bicarbonate
- Medical condition (new).frequency
- ~2% (people in hospital)
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
21 sectionsContents
- Signs and symptoms
- Causes
- Ineffective elimination
- Excessive release from cells
- Excessive intake
- Pseudohyperkalemia
- Mechanism
- Physiology
- Elevated potassium
- Diagnosis
- Definitions
- ECG findings
- Prevention
- Treatment
- Myocardial excitability
- Temporary measures
- Elimination
- Epidemiology
- Society and culture
- References
- External links
Hyperkalemia is an elevated level of potassium (K+) in the blood. Normal potassium levels are between 3.5 and 5.0mmol/L (3.5 and 5.0mEq/L) with levels above 5.5mmol/L defined as hyperkalemia. Typically hyperkalemia does not cause symptoms. Occasionally when severe it can cause palpitations, muscle pain, muscle weakness, or numbness. Hyperkalemia can cause an abnormal heart rhythm which can result in cardiac arrest and death.
Common causes of hyperkalemia include kidney failure, hypoaldosteronism, and rhabdomyolysis. A number of medications can also cause high blood potassium including mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (e.g., spironolactone, eplerenone and finerenone) NSAIDs, potassium-sparing diuretics (e.g., amiloride), angiotensin receptor blockers, and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. The severity is divided into mild (5.5 – 5.9mmol/L), moderate (6.0 – 6.5 mmol/L), and severe (> 6.5mmol/L). High levels can be detected on an electrocardiogram (ECG), though the absence of ECG changes does not rule out hyperkalemia. The measurement properties of ECG changes in predicting hyperkalemia are not known. Pseudohyperkalemia, due to breakdown of cells during or after taking the blood sample, should be ruled out.