Congestive heart failure, or heart failure, is a condition in which you heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet your body's needs. Heart failure is a complication of narrowed arteries or hypertension. These conditions slowly impair your heart's ability to function properly. Your body uses potassium to help maintain heart function. Too much potassium in your body, or hyperkalemia, has been associated with congestive heart failure.
Hyperkalemia Symptoms, Causes and Treatments
Hyperkalemia symptoms include arrhythmia, breathing difficulties, nausea, weakness and even paralysis. Tingling, numbness or other unusual sensations, as well as exhaustion, are also symptoms of high potassium. Hyperkalemia is caused by conditions such as kidney disease, burns or Addison's disease, as well as a high potassium diet or excessive potassium supplementation. Hyperkalemia is treatable with medications that include calcium chloride, insulin, beta agonists and diuretics. Eating fewer bananas, lentils and other foods that contain potassium is another way to alleviate hyperkalemia.
High Potassium and Congestive Heart Failure
Treating hyperkalemia and congestive heart failure requires acute and semiacute phases, according to a study published in a 2001 issue of "Congestive Heart Failure." The acute phases of hyperkalemia management involve employing measures to impair the adverse membrane effects of hyperkalemia via intravenous calcium administration. Semiacute hyperkalemia management requires increasing the rate that potassium is excreted in urine. The study discussed the link between hyperkalemia, enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers. Preventing hyperkalemia is preferable to treating it, because high potassium levels are toxic to your heart.
High Potassium, Congestive Heart Failure and Aldosterone-Receptor
"Congestive Heart Failure" featured a study in a 2003 issue that examined a link between hyperkalemia, heart failure and aldosterone-receptors. The study surmised that medications meant to treat co-existant renal failure in congestive heart failure patients also elevated their risk of developing hyperkalemia. The study explains that because these medications impair the body's ability to excrete potassium via urination, it is harder to keep potassium levels within normal levels.
Risk Factors of Hyperkalemia in Congestive Heart Failure Patients
The "British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology" published a study in a 2007 issue that identified kidney function, diabetes and heart failure as independent risk factors of hyperkalemia. The study used 125 patients diagnosed with congestive heart failure from January 2002 to April 2006. About 30 of the 125 patients developed hyperkalemia. Many of the patients suffered hyperkalemia after undergoing mild to moderate dehydration. Therefore, if you suffer from congestive heart failure, avoid any situation in which you may become dehydrated; this could precipitate a dangerous rise in blood pressure.
References
- "British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology"; Risk Calculation for Hyperkalemia in Heart Failure Patients; T.L.J. Vereijken, et al.; April 2007
- "Congestive Heart Failure"; Pharmacotherapy in Congestive Heart Failure: Hyperkalemia in Congestive Heart Failure; T.W. Gehr, et al.; March 2001
- "Congestive Heart Failure"; Hyperkalemia, Congestive Heart Failure, and Aldosterone Receptor Antagonism; D.A. Sica, et al.; July 2003
- Mayo Clinic; Heart Failure; March 2011
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Hyperkalemia; Steven D. Ehrlich; February 2010
