Potassium is one of the more important minerals your body needs to function. Minerals are composed of inorganic elements from soil and water. Plants and animals absorb these minerals. Most of the diet your potassium supply comes from the food you eat, but some people take supplements to make sure their potassium levels are sufficient. Too much potassium, however, leads to a condition called hyperkalemia, which can be dangerous.
Potassium
Without potassium, your body cannot maintain proper function in your cells, tissues and organs, the University of Maryland Medical Center warns. Potassium is an electrolyte and is essential in organs such as the heart and skeletal muscles, which are activated via electrochemical stimuli. Your cardiovascular system, digestive system and muscular function all need potassium. All meats, fish and a variety of fruits and vegetables contain potassium. Potassium is usually stored inside of your cells, but in some cases it leaves those cells, enters the bloodstream and causes hyperkalemia.
Dangerously High Potassium Levels
Potassium levels are carefully controlled by the body. Excess calcium is typically filtered from the blood by the kidneys and excreted in the urine. Normally, your blood calcium level is around 3.6 to 4.8 mEq/L, MayoClinic.com reports. If you have kidney failure or are taking large doses of potassium supplements, however, you may develop dangerously high potassium levels, or hyperkalemia. A potassium level that is higher than 6 mEq/L is often dangerous and requires immediate medical attention.
Symptoms of High Potassium
Initially, hyperkalemia has few symptoms. In fact, there may be no symptoms at all. Some patients may experience an irregular heart beat, a slow or weak pulse and nausea, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health. If the initial rise in potassium levels is not treated, more dire complications of hyperkalemia may emerge. The patient will be at risk of suffering severe arrhythmias, which are dangerous irregular heart beats, cardiac arrest and abnormalities in muscle contraction. Some patients may experience a change in breathing pattern, which can be a pending sign of respiratory arrest.
Treatment for Hyperkalemia
Treatment for high potassium levels focuses on stabilizing the heart, pushing potassium into other cells and removing any excess calcium from the bloodstream, the University of Maryland Medical Center explains. In patients suffering from kidney failure, hemodialysis, which filters the blood through a machine, is the best form of treatment. To stabilize the heart, doctors administer calcium chloride. In order to put potassium back into cells, you may be prescribed insulin or sodium bicarbonate. Diuretics are often given to promote potassium excretion from the kidneys.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Hyperkalemia (High potassium) -- Definition; December 4, 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Hyperkalemia (High potassium) -- Causes; December 4, 2009
- Univeristy of Maryland Medical Center; Potassium; Steven D. Erlich NMD; May 6, 2009
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Hyperkalemia; Steven D. Erlich NMD; February 4, 2010
- MedlinePlus; Hyperkalemia; David C. Dugdale, III, MD; November 15, 2009
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