Hyperkalemia Treatment

Hyperkalemia is a medical condition, triggered due to abnormal elevation of potassium level in the blood. Severe high potassium problem is treated as a medical emergency, owing to the fact that the person suffering from the ailment has high chances of suffering from arrhythmias or various heart problems. But that doesn't mean you can ignore mild hyperkalemia. Over the course of time, the ailment can get more severe and hence it's important to initiate hyperkalemia treatment as soon as hyperkalemia signs and symptoms are observed. Before we move on to the treatment of hyperkalemia, let's see what are the ideal levels of potassium in the blood.

Potassium Levels in Blood
Potassium is indeed an essential nutrient for the proper functioning of our body. It helps in various body functions, ranging from sending nerve impulses to preventing muscle contraction. In extreme cases though, (i.e. excess of potassium or potassium deficiency), potassium tends to be harmful for the body. The level of potassium in the blood is measured as milliequivalents per liter.

• Normal Potassium Level: 3.5 mEq/L to 5.0 mEq/L
• Mild Hyperkalemia: 5.1 mEq/L to 6.0 mEq/L
• Moderate Hyperkalemia: 6.1 mEq/L to 7.0 mEq/L
• Sever Hyperkalemia: Above 7 mEq/L

Health condition that prevails when potassium content in blood is more than required is known as hyperkalemia, while the condition that prevails when the potassium content is less than required is known as hypokalemia.

Hyperkalemia Symptoms and Diagnosis
Approximately 98 percent of the potassium is stored in various cells in our body, while the remaining 2 percent is present in the blood. When the potassium content in blood increases, it gives rise to a series of hyperkalemia symptoms, which include slow heart beat, low pulse rate, weakness, tiredness and nausea. As the ailment becomes severe, the signs and symptoms also tend to become grievous. High potassium levels in blood can eventually lead further complications such as muscle paralyzing or cardiac stroke. Hyperkalemia diagnosis can be done by observing the signs and symptoms and following them up with blood tests and ECG to ascertain the causes of high potassium levels in blood.

Treatment for Hyperkalemia
Hyperkalemia treatment can be started on the basis of severity of the symptoms and ECG and blood reports. Generally, mild hyperkalemia doesn't require hospitalization and the patient can undergo the necessary treatment as an outpatient. However, if the case is severe, and more importantly accompanied by worsening heart or kidney function, then hospitalization is a must. The patient may even require to spend a few days in an intensive care unit, depending on the grievousness of the issue.

Simple Measures for Treatment of Hyperkalemia
Hyperkalemia treatment can include a single measure or a combination of more than one measures. In case the person is suffering from mild hyperkalemia, the patient should ideally stick to a low potassium diet. Medications, which increase the level of potassium in blood, should be ceased after consulting the doctor.

Hyperkalemia Treatment with Insulin, Calcium and Sodium Bicarbonate
Insulin treatment for hyperkalemia involves injection of insulin in the veins to ensure that the potassium from the extracellular space moves back in the cells. The patient may require intravenous calcium for protection of the heart as well as muscles, and sodium bicarbonate to counter acidosis. The patient is also administered medications, meant to stimulate beta-2 adrenergic receptors like epinephrine, to move the potassium back to cells. Medications such as cation-exchange resins bind potassium, and excrete it via gastrointestinal tract. Even diuretics are effective when it comes to decreasing potassium levels.

Basically hyperkalemia can be treated by treating the underlying causes of hyperkalemia, which are likely to be kidney diseases, tissue destruction, etc. In case of kidney failure, or when all the other measures have failed the last option is performing a dialysis to reduce the levels of potassium in the body.

Although it's not possible to entirely prevent medical conditions which cause hyperkalemia, one has to make sure that the causes that trigger the ailment are avoided. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, like sticking to low potassium diet plans, is the foremost thing to do. If the patient is suffering from any chronic medical conditions, he has to take necessary precautions to avoid increase in potassium levels in the blood. Hyperkalemia treatment is of course possible, but it's wiser to prevent the condition in the first place, or at the most treat it when it is mild.