Treatment of Hyperkalemia with Drugs

Written by Wei Shi Liang
Intensive Care Unit
Updated on September 01, 2024
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Hyperkalemia primarily affects the conduction of the heart and muscle nerves, with typical clinical manifestations including severe bradycardia, atrioventricular block, and even sinus arrest. Once hyperkalemia occurs clinically, immediate treatment should be administered. The first approach to treatment is promoting the excretion of potassium, using furosemide or other diuretics to increase renal potassium excretion, and taking a small dose of sodium polystyrene sulfonate orally to eliminate potassium. For life-threatening severe hyperkalemia, if serum potassium is greater than 6.5 mmol/L, hemodialysis treatment is necessary. The second aspect involves shifting potassium into cells, using calcium to alter cell excitability, which can protect the heart from the damage to the conduction system caused by hyperkalemia. Additionally, using glucose with insulin and administering sodium bicarbonate can be effective. It is important to note that all the above medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.

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Written by Wei Shi Liang
Intensive Care Unit
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The difference between hyperkalemia and hypokalemia.

Hypokalemia refers to a serum potassium concentration lower than 3.5mmol/L, and its clinical manifestations are diverse. The most life-threatening symptoms involve the cardiac conduction system and the neuromuscular system. Mild hypokalemia shows on an electrocardiogram as flattened T waves and the appearance of U waves, while severe hypokalemia can lead to fatal arrhythmias, such as torsades de pointes and ventricular fibrillation. In terms of the neuromuscular system, the most prominent symptom of hypokalemia is the loss of tone in smooth muscles and flaccid paralysis in skeletal muscles, which, when involving respiratory muscles, can lead to respiratory failure. Hyperkalemia, on the other hand, refers to a serum potassium concentration exceeding 5.5mmol/L, mainly presenting clinical symptoms in cardiac and neuromuscular conduction. Severe cases can cause bradycardia, atrioventricular conduction block, and even sinus arrest. Mild hyperkalemia, with levels between 5.5 to 6.0mmol/L, shows on an electrocardiogram as peaked T waves. As hyperkalemia continues to increase, it can lead to lengthening of the PR interval or disappearance of the P wave, QRS widening, and eventually cardiac arrest. Regarding the neuromuscular system, the clinical manifestations of hyperkalemia are very similar to those of hypokalemia, including weakness and paralysis of skeletal and smooth muscles.

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Written by Wei Shi Liang
Intensive Care Unit
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Common symptoms of hypokalemia and hyperkalemia

The common symptoms of hyperkalemia and hypokalemia, mainly seen in severe cases of high or low potassium, manifest as neurological and muscular symptoms as well as circulatory system symptoms, which are fairly similar in both conditions. If the blood potassium is particularly low, less than 2.0 mmol per liter, it can lead to reduced or absent reflexes. In severe cases, this may progress to paralysis of the respiratory muscles, causing respiratory pump failure. For hyperkalemia, particularly severe cases may also present with swallowing difficulties and respiratory distress. These central nervous system issues can lead to confusion and fainting. Another similar issue is the impact on the circulatory system; severe hypokalemia can cause ventricular tachycardia and even ventricular fibrillation, leading to death. In hyperkalemia, the impact on the cardiovascular system primarily causes malignant tachycardia and can also result in ventricular fibrillation. The main cause of sudden death in hyperkalemia is ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest, demonstrating that severe hyperkalemia and hypokalemia similarly cause significant arrhythmic conditions in the heart.

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Written by Wei Shi Liang
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The effect of hyperkalemia on the myocardium

The primary mechanism by which hyperkalemia causes arrhythmias is due to dysfunction of myocardial conduction, which is also related to various other factors such as other myocardial lesions, failure, and ionic states. The main impact on the myocardium is on its excitability; myocardial excitability can decrease or even disappear, and its conductivity is also affected, causing a reduction in conductivity. The effect on myocardial automaticity is a decrease in automaticity. Electrocardiographically, there are manifestations such as a low P wave, prolonged PR interval, and widened QRS complex without disappearance; these are some of the presentations of hyperkalemia.

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Written by Zhao Xin Lan
Endocrinology
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Clinical manifestations of hyperkalemia

The clinical manifestations of hyperkalemia are not specific. Early symptoms often include numbness in the limbs, sensory abnormalities, extreme fatigue, and muscle pain. In severe cases, there can be difficulties in swallowing, speaking, and breathing, paralysis of the limbs, and tendon reflexes may disappear. The central nervous system may show signs of restlessness, fainting, and confusion. Some may experience a slow heart rate, ventricular fibrillation, and in the most severe cases, it can lead to cardiac arrest. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal symptoms.

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Written by Wei Shi Liang
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Common Causes of Hyperkalemia

Hyperkalemia is when the serum potassium concentration exceeds 5.5 millimoles per liter. Common causes include excessive potassium intake and large doses of potassium salts, which can lead to hyperkalemia, as well as the use of stored blood. Another cause is reduced potassium excretion; in patients with renal insufficiency, reduced urine output or anuria leads to decreased renal potassium excretion. If potassium supplementation is inappropriate at this time, or if potassium-sparing diuretics are used, severe hyperkalemia can occur. Another scenario is the leakage of intracellular potassium during respiratory and metabolic acidosis, where sodium ion exchange occurs in cells, hydrogen ions enter the cells, and potassium ions leak out to the extracellular space, which can lead to increased blood potassium. These are the common causes of hyperkalemia.