Hyperkalemia is a condition in which the potassium level in the bloodstream becomes dangerously elevated. Potassium is an important mineral in many of the body's processes, including how muscle works, how the nervous system sends its signals throughout the body, and how the heart maintains an appropriate regular rhythm. Health providers treat hyperkalemia with several medicines, including calcium.
Potassium Facts
The levels of potassium in the bloodstream are tightly regulated by a combination of hormones and their action on the brain and in the kidneys. When potassium becomes elevated, the adrenal gland secretes a hormone called aldosterone which stimulates the kidneys to remove excess potassium into the urine. As such, a deficiency in aldosterone can result in high potassium levels. The concentration of potassium in the bloodstream is actually small, as most potassium is stored within cells. Therefore, any changes in the narrow limits of normal of potassium can cause serious health effects.
Causes of Hyperkalemia
Apart from a deficiency in aldosterone, which occurs in a condition called Addison's disease, other conditions can cause hyperkalemia. According to PubMed Health, these include acute and chronic kidney failure, obstruction of the flow of urine from the kidneys to the bladder, and inflammation of the tubules of the kidneys, also known as glomerulonephritis. Other conditions that can elevate the potassium level include burns, bleeding from the gut, and conditions that cause hemolysis, or destruction of red blood cells, the potassium-rich cells that carry oxygen in the bloodstream.
Symptoms
In general, the symptoms of hyperkalemia may be subtle at first, and may be mistaken for other, less serious conditions. According to MayoClinic.com, symptoms include muscle weakness and fatigue, nausea and vomiting, and inability to move muscles, or paralysis. The most common concerning symptoms of hyperkalemia are abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias. This can manifest with chest pain, feeling of skipped beats, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Hyperkalemia can lead to ventricular fibrillation, a potentially fatal heart rhythm. Calcium helps prevent arrhythmias caused by hyperkalemia.
Treatment
The treatment of hyperkalemia involves trying to get rid of the excess potassium while stabilizing the heart. Calcium is used to stabilize the heart and prevent arrhythmias. Calcium works by making sure the heart cells do not misfire, stabilizing all the electrical activity in the membrane of the heart's muscle, and preventing an abnormal rhythm. Calcium gluconate, the formulation of calcium used in the management of hyperkalemia, is administered as an intravenous solution, so it can reach the heart in a timely fashion.
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