Doctors refer to high levels of sodium in the body as hypernatremia and high levels of potassium as hyperkalemia. In healthy people, the endocrine system, circulatory system and urinary system work together to maintain very narrow normal ranges of these substances. Several medical conditions and medications can cause sodium and potassium levels to increase.
Kidney Disease
The kidneys control the amount of sodium and potassium in the body by deciding how much to retain and how much to excrete in the urine. When kidney disease damages the filtering units of the kidneys, sodium and potassium accumulate in the bloodstream. The American Academy of Family Physicians website explains that acute renal failure sometimes causes the kidneys to reabsorb sodium in order to conserve water in the body. If medications do not reduce the amount of sodium and potassium in the bloodstream, doctors prescribe hemodialysis. Hemodialysis filters the blood through a machine to remove the excess sodium and potassium.
Burns
Severe burns can cause both hypernatremia and hyperkalemia. In the case of hypernatremia, sodium levels increase due to water loss through the skin. Since the amount of sodium in the body directly relates to the amount of water in the body, any change in total body water---TBW---causes a change in sodium level. Severe burns cause TBW to decrease, according to the Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. This causes sodium concentration in the blood to increase. Much of the potassium normally found in the body exists inside the cells. Burns cause cell damage, which allows potassium outside of the cells and causes increased amounts of potassium in the bloodstream.
Medication Usage
Several medications affect the concentrations of sodium and potassium in the body. The use of loop diuretics decreases TBW and results in elevated levels of sodium. Loop diuretics remove excess fluid from the body and reduce blood pressure. Sodium bicarbonate contains high levels of sodium, so prolonged use of this substance to treat renal failure or heartburn can lead to high sodium levels in the body. Dr. Mark Perazella, a nephrologist at Yale University School of Medicine, explains that beta-blockers inhibit the uptake of potassium by the cells, allowing potassium to accumulate in the bloodstream. The use of succinylcholine, a drug used to relax the muscles, allows potassium to leak from the cells. Digoxin, a medication for heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias, reduces the amount of potassium excreted by the kidneys and prevents uptake of potassium by the cells.
Dietary Consumption
Since many foods contain sodium and potassium, eating a diet rich in these minerals can lead to too much sodium and potassium in the bloodstream. Those at risk for hypernatremia should limit their intake of high-sodium snacks, meals and desserts. Foods with high levels of sodium include fast foods, salted chips and pretzels, bread, cheese, salted popcorn and nuts, frozen entrees and canned vegetables. Doctors may advise those at risk for hyperkalemia to follow a low-potassium diet. This diet limits the consumption of chocolate, bananas, oranges, yams, potatoes, tomatoes and other high-potassium foods.
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