What is Hyperkalemia?
If you have hyperkalemia, there are too many potassium ions in your blood. The body needs a delicate balance of potassium to help the heart and other muscles function properly. But too much potassium in the blood can cause dangerous and possibly fatal changes in heart rate.
Cause of Hyperkalemia
Additionally, if the kidneys are not functioning properly and potassium cannot be removed from the body, or if you take certain medications, hyperkalemia can occur.
Furthermore, Kidney disease is the most common cause of hyperkalemia. The kidneys help control the balance of potassium in the body. If they are not functioning properly, they will not be able to filter out the excess potassium from the blood or remove it from the body. Moreover, a hormone called aldosterone tells the kidneys when to remove potassium. Diseases that reduce the production of this hormone (such as Addison’s disease) can cause hyperkalemia.
In addition, if the kidneys are not functioning well or you are taking certain medications, too much potassium in your diet can also cause high blood lipids. Salt substitutes usually contain a lot of potassium. Foods such as watermelon, orange juice and bananas are also rich in potassium.
Some health problems interfere with the way potassium ions leave the cell. Sometimes cells release too much potassium. Excessive potassium release may be due to:
- The breakdown of red blood cells is called hemolysis.
- The destruction of muscle tissue is called rhabdomyolysis
- Burns, trauma or other tissue damage
- Uncontrolled diabetes
Importantly, diseases that may affect the kidneys’ ability to remove potassium from the body include:
- Hormone imbalance
- Lupus
- Renal insufficiency
- Other kidney diseases
Drug-Induced Hyperkalemia
Moreover, some drugs can cause hyperkalemia. This is especially true if you have kidney disease or the way your body processes potassium. In addition, certain drugs can increase the amount of potassium in the body.
Medications related to hyperkalemia include:
- Blood pressure drugs are called angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- Plus, Blood pressure medications called angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB)
- Blood pressure drugs are called beta blockers.
- Herbal supplements, including milkweed, lily of the valley, Siberian ginseng, hawthorn or dry skin preparations or frog poison (Bufo, Chan Su, Senso)
- Equally, Heparin, anticoagulant
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Potassium supplement
- Also,Potassium-sparing diuretics, including amiloride (Midamor), spironolactone (Aldactone and Carrospir) and triamterene (Dyrenium)
- Antibiotics, including amoxicillin
Symptoms Of Hyperkalemia
Here, Potassium helps the nerves to ignite normally, thereby responding to stimuli. Again, this happens through electrical signals propagating from one unit to another.
As part of the nervous system, your brain also needs potassium. importantly, this mineral allows brain cells to communicate with each other and with distant cells. Plus, changes in potassium levels are related to learning, hormone release and metabolism.
Diagnosis Of Hyperkalemia
Your doctor will examine you and listen to your heartbeat. The system will ask you questions about medical history, diet and medications. Above all, it is important to make sure that your doctor knows all the medicines you are taking, including over-the-counter products such as herbs and other supplements.
Furthermore, laboratory tests will be performed to check potassium levels in blood and urine. Your doctor will explain your specific results to you. Many different factors can affect your potassium levels. However, if your potassium levels seem to be high, your doctor may perform blood tests again.
Moreover, an electrocardiogram (ECG) or electrocardiogram (EKG) can perform to check for heart rhythm problems. This test records the electrical activity of your heart.
Not all patients with hyperkalemia have changes that can be seen on EKG.
Treatment Of Hyperkalemia
Follow are the treatments may include:
- Follow a low potassium diet
- Stop or change drugs that cause hyperkalemia
- Take medicine to lower the potassium content in the body. Water pills (diuretics) remove potassium through the urethra.
- Treatment of kidney disease may include dialysis, which filters potassium from the blood.
- Other treatments depend on the cause of hyperkalemia.
- Some drugs act as potassium binders:
- Patromir (Veltassa)
- Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Caexalate)
- Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate (Lukelma)
Additionally, you can take it by mouth to prevent hyperkalemia. Lastly, they should not used in emergency situations. If your potassium level is dangerously high, you will receive urgent care, including intravenous medication.
Complications Of Hyperkalemia
However, Hyperkalemia can cause life-threatening changes in heart rhythm or arrhythmia. It can also cause paralysis and weakness.