Increased levels of potassium in the bloodstream, also known as hyperkalemia, can manifest in a variety of different ways and can be life threatening. It can result from a variety of causes such as drugs, muscle damage, kidney failure and excessive potassium intake.
Cardiac Symptoms
The most dangerous effects of hyperkalemia in the body occur in the cardiovascular system. These manifest most commonly as disturbances in heart rhythm such as decreased heart rate (also known as bradycardia), cessation of cardiac activity (also known as asystole), and contractions of the heart outside of the normal heartbeat (ectopic beat). This is obviously very dangerous and necessitates urgent treatment to prevent damage to the heart.
Weakness
A general feeling of malaise and muscle weakness is common with increased potassium levels in the body. This is because of the increased potassium, resulting in inactivation of the mechanism by which muscles contract.
Ileus
This describes a state in which there is a failure of the intestinal contents to pass through. The same mechanism that results in skeletal muscle weakness also results in weakness of the smooth muscle in the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, the intestine fails to contract with sufficient strength to move its contents along the tract.
General Symptoms
Often patients with metabolic alterations such as hyperkalemia have general complaints such as nausea and fatigue. These can be attributed to both direct effects of the metabolic derangement and to the disease process that is contributing to the derangement itself.
References
- Rosen's Emergency Medicine, 7th edition; Marx; 2009
- American Family Physician: Hyperkalemia; Hollander-Rodriguez, JC et al. Volume 73, January 2006
- Miller's Anesthesia, 7th edition; Miller; 2009
Member Comments