A high level of potassium in the blood, commonly known as hyperkalemia, is a dangerous and life-threatening condition in children that requires immediate treatment. Often an indication of a serious, underlying health problem, an elevated potassium level can be medically managed when symptoms first appear to prevent serious complications or death.
Identification
Potassium is an electrolyte in the body responsible for nerve, cell, tissue and organ function. Potassium is also important for regulating the body's balance of acidity and alkalinity. Normal levels of potassium in the blood are 3.5 to 5.0 milliequivalents per liter or mEq/L. In children, hyperkalemia occurs when the blood potassium level exceeds 5.5 mEq/L. At high levels, potassium may cause serious complications. In premature babies, the condition, which is common in up to 50 percent of infants, has been linked to abnormal heart rhythms and death.
Causes
The most common cause of an elevated blood potassium level in premature infants and children occurs when the body's cells release potassium into the bloodstream, causing the electrolyte to accumulate to dangerous levels, Schwartz's Clinical Handbook of Pediatrics says. High levels of acid in the blood, a common complication of diabetes, burns or injuries that destroy muscle tissue, and strenuous exercise can also cause potassium to enter the bloodstream. Additional risk factors include increased potassium intake from potassium-rich foods or supplements, and a reduction in the ability of the kidneys to excrete potassium due to certain medications, including potassium-containing penicillin, and disorders such as kidney disease.
Symptoms
Hyperkalemia can occur without any predicable or specific warning signs, Schwartz's Clinical Handbook of Pediatrics advises. However, muscle weakness, fatigue, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting and an irregular heartbeat have been reported, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Treatment
Several drug therapies can move potassium from the bloodstream back into the cells and promote excretion. In mild cases, your child's doctor may recommend limiting dietary potassium. He may also prescribe a diuretic drug to boost potassium excretion or a medication known as a resin that absorbs potassium from the digestive tract and excretes it in your child's stool. In severe cases, treatment involves an intravenous solution of insulin and glucose to absorb excess potassium, and calcium to protect the heart from the effects of the condition. Additional treatments include sodium bicarbonate to move potassium from blood to the cells and, in serious cases involving kidney failure, dialysis to reduce potassium levels in the blood.
Testing
A blood sample taken to diagnosis a high blood potassium level may indicate a false positive, MayoClinic.com warns. Blood cells in the sample can burst during or after taking the sample, leaking additional potassium into the sample. For that reason, a second test is normally required to confirm diagnosis of an elevated potassium level.
References
- MedlinePlus: Potassium in Diet
- American Cancer Society: Potassium
- Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center: Hyperkalemia
- "Schwartz's Clinical Handbook of Pediatrics"; Jospeh J. Zorc et al.; 2009
- "American Journal of Perinatology"; Can Early-Onset Nonoliguric Hyperkalemia be Predicted in Extremely Premature Infants; S. Thayyil et al.; February 2008
- MedlinePlus: Hyperkalemia
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