Potassium is an electrolyte that plays a role in digestion, metabolism and muscle tissue regulation, as well as balancing electrical and chemical processes in the body. A higher-than-normal level of potassium in the blood is called hyperkalemia. The potassium level in the blood can range from a mild elevation to a life-threatening elevation.
Potassium Levels
According to the National Institutes of Health, a normal range of potassium in the blood is between 3.7 to 5.2 milliequivalents per liter. According to the ninth edition of Mosby's Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference, a critical level of potassium is greater than 6.5 milliequivalents per liter.
Causes
Potassium is normally removed from the body by the kidneys. Potassium is not excreted efficiently from the body if the kidneys are not able to function properly, which can occur from disorders such as acute or chronic kidney failure, glomerulonephritis, lupus nephritis, obstructive uropathy or the rejection of a kidney transplant. A deficient level of the hormone aldosterone, which controls the removal of potassium and sodium by the kidneys, can increase the level of potassium in the body. Addison's disease can cause a deficient level of aldosterone in the body.
Medications that can cause an increased level of potassium in the body by altering the way the kidneys function are potassium supplements and potassium-sparing diuretics such as triamterene, spironolactone and amiloride.
Symptoms
A mild elevation of potassium in the blood may not produce any symptoms. As the potassium level rises, a person may experience an irregular heartbeat, nausea, muscle fatigue, weakness and a pulse that is slow or weak. A severe drop in potassium can cause paralysis and cardiac arrest. Contact your physician for an evaluation if you experience symptoms related to hyperkalemia or, if the symptoms are severe, contact emergency medical services.
Diagnosis
A diagnosis of hyperkalemia is based on a physical exam, the presence of signs and symptoms, an abnormal heart rhythm on an electrocardiogram and the results of a serum potassium test, which is a blood test in which a blood sample is obtained by a health care professional from a vein in your hand or arm. The sample is sent to a laboratory for processing. Not all tests are ordered for every person.
Treatment
Aggressiveness of the treatment techniques for hyperkalemia depends on the severity of the potassium level. A potassium elevation is treated by limiting foods high in potassium, the administration of medication to lower the level of potassium in the blood, changing certain medication that may have caused the potassium elevation, the administration of medications to reverse symptoms and stopping potassium supplements.
References
- National Institutes of Health: Hyperkalemia
- National Institutes of Health: Potassium Test
- Mosby's Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference: Ninth Edition; Kathleen Deska Pagana PhD RN & Timothy J. Pagana MD FACS; Oct. 17, 2008
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