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What is Hyperkalemia?
Hyperkalemia is when potassium levels in the blood are too high. Common causes are kidney disease and some medication side effects.
Typical Symptoms of Hyperkalemia
- Kidney failure on dialysis
- Fainting
- Weakness in your arms or legs
- Numbness or tingling in my toes
- Having difficulty urinating or producing less urine
- History of kidney failure
- Heartburn with discomfort in the upper stomach area
- Numbness anywhere from the elbow to the wrist
Diagnostic Questions for Hyperkalemia
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Are you currently on dialysis?
- Have you fainted recently?
- Do you have weakness in your arms or legs?
- Do you experience numbness or tingling in your toes?
- Have you been experiencing difficulty urinating or producing less urine?
Treatment of Hyperkalemia
Doctors treat hyperkalemia by suggesting changes in diet and/or medication. For severe hyperkalemia, they may prescribe medicines to lower potassium levels. In some cases, emergency dialysis is needed to fix the issue.
Reviewed By:
Maxwell J. Nanes, DO (Emergency Medicine)
Dr Nanes received a doctorate from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and went on to complete a residency in emergency medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. There he trained at Froedtert Hospital and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in the practice of adult and pediatric emergency medicine. He was a chief resident and received numerous awards for teaching excellence during his time there. | | After residency he took a job at a community hospital where he and his colleagues worked through the toughest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Yoshinori Abe, MD (Internal Medicine)
Dr. Abe graduated from The University of Tokyo School of Medicine in 2015. He completed his residency at the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Longevity Medical Center. He co-founded Ubie, Inc. in May 2017, where he currently serves as CEO & product owner at Ubie. Since December 2019, he has been a member of the Special Committee for Activation of Research in Emergency AI of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. | | Dr. Abe has been elected in the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Healthcare & Science category.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
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- Numb big toe
- Unable to move both legs
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See full list
Symptoms Related to Hyperkalemia
Diseases Related to Hyperkalemia
FAQs
Q.
Heart Racing? Why Your Potassium is Dangerously High & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
A racing or irregular heartbeat with a high potassium level often means hyperkalemia, a potentially dangerous imbalance that can disrupt your heart’s electrical rhythm and is commonly tied to kidney disease, certain medications, uncontrolled diabetes, or high-potassium supplements and salt substitutes. Medically approved next steps can include prompt medication and lab review, hydration guidance, and in urgent cases hospital treatments such as IV calcium, insulin with glucose, beta agonists, potassium binders, diuretics, or dialysis; there are several factors to consider, so see below for red flags, personalized diet advice, and when to seek emergency versus routine care.
References:
* Alfonzo AV, Smakowski E, Kalra PA, Kalra PA. Acute management of hyperkalemia. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2021 Jan 7;16(1):159-166.
* Holland-Dooley M, Kim H. Understanding the Electrocardiographic Features of Hyperkalemia and Its Emergency Management. Crit Care Nurse. 2023 Apr 1;43(2):e1-e15.
* Kardalas R, Lau KK, Sinha S, et al. Hyperkalemia: A Review of the Management and Treatment Strategies. P T. 2018 Dec;43(12):794-802.
* Simon LV, Hashmi MF, Farrell MW. Hyperkalemia. In: StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.
* Sinha S, Kardalas R, Lau KK, et al. Electrocardiographic Manifestations of Hyperkalemia: An Overview of Pathophysiology and Clinical Significance. J Clin Med. 2019 Jul 1;8(7):965.
Q.
Heart Racing? Why Potassium Chloride Is Vital + Medically Approved Steps
A.
A racing heart can be linked to potassium imbalance, and potassium chloride is vital for steady heart rhythm; both low and high potassium can cause palpitations or dangerous arrhythmias, so only use potassium chloride if a clinician prescribes and monitors it. There are several factors to consider; see below for medically approved steps on assessing triggers, getting the right blood tests, reviewing medicines that raise potassium, safe nutrition guidance, and clear red flags that mean you should seek urgent care.
References:
* Kardinal F, Scherer D, Pöllinger A, et al. Therapeutic value of potassium in cardiac arrhythmias: an overview. Herzschrittmacherther Elektrophysiol. 2017 Mar;28(1):79-86. doi: 10.1007/s00399-017-0478-x. Epub 2017 Mar 23. PMID: 28337748.
* Weir MR, Zeng C. The Pathophysiology and Treatment of Hypokalemia: An Update. Am J Nephrol. 2020;51(10):767-781. doi: 10.1159/000510522. Epub 2020 Oct 8. PMID: 33032130.
* Palmer BF. Regulation of Potassium Homeostasis: An Update on the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Hypokalemia. Mayo Clin Proc. 2017 May;92(5):796-812. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.02.012. Epub 2017 Apr 10. PMID: 28408012.
* Wang Y, Cui M. The Role of Potassium Channels in Cardiac Arrhythmias. J Cardiovasc Transl Res. 2019 Jun;12(3):238-245. doi: 10.1007/s12265-019-09871-3. Epub 2019 Jan 28. PMID: 30693570.
* Aburto NJ, Hanson S, Gutierrez H, et al. Effect of increased potassium intake on cardiovascular risk factors and disease: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2013 Apr 3;346:f1378. doi: 10.1136/bmj.f1378. PMID: 23558164; PMCID: PMC3618116.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Palmer BF, Clegg DJ. Diagnosis and treatment of hyperkalemia. Cleve Clin J Med. 2017 Dec;84(12):934-942. doi: 10.3949/ccjm.84a.17056. PMID: 29244647.
https://www.ccjm.org/content/84/12/934Montford JR, Linas S. How Dangerous Is Hyperkalemia? J Am Soc Nephrol. 2017 Nov;28(11):3155-3165. doi: 10.1681/ASN.2016121344. Epub 2017 Aug 4. PMID: 28778861; PMCID: PMC5661285.
https://jasn.asnjournals.org/content/28/11/3155Sarwar CM, Papadimitriou L, Pitt B, Piña I, Zannad F, Anker SD, Gheorghiade M, Butler J. Hyperkalemia in Heart Failure. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2016 Oct 4;68(14):1575-89. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2016.06.060. PMID: 27687200.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109716346563?via%3DihubKovesdy CP. Management of Hyperkalemia: An Update for the Internist. Am J Med. 2015 Dec;128(12):1281-7. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2015.05.040. Epub 2015 Jun 18. PMID: 26093176.
https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(15)00541-0/fulltextKovesdy CP. Updates in hyperkalemia: Outcomes and therapeutic strategies. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2017 Mar;18(1):41-47. doi: 10.1007/s11154-016-9384-x. PMID: 27600582; PMCID: PMC5339065.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11154-016-9384-x