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Hyperkalemia
Aka: Hyperkalemia
- See Also
- Hyperkalemia Causes
- Hyperkalemia Management
- Causes
- See Hyperkalemia Causes
- Signs and Symptoms
- Symptoms occur when Serum Potassium > 6.0 to 6.5 meq/L
- Neurologic Changes
- Weakness
- Paresthesias
- Areflexia
- Ascending paralysis
- Respiratory failure
- Cardiovascular Changes
- Bradycardia to Asystole or Ventricular Fibrillation
- AV prolonged transmission to complete Heart Block
- Labs
- Chemistry Panel
- Serum Potassium
- Serum electrolytes including serum bicarbonate
- Renal Function tests (BUN, Creatinine)
- Spot urine for Urine Potassium and Urine Creatinine
- Fractional Excretion of Potassium
- Transtubular Potassium Gradient
- Diagnostics: Electrocardiogram
- Changes occur when Serum Potassium >6.0 meq/L
- Initial
- T Waves peaked or Tented
- Next
- ST depression
- First degree AV Block or loss of P Wave
- QRS Widening
- Final
- Biphasic wave (sine wave) QRS and T fusion
- Imminent ventricular standstill
- Changes exacerbated by:
- Hyponatremia
- Hypocalcemia
- Metabolic Acidosis
- Hypermagnesemia
- Management
- See Hyperkalemia Management
- References
- Gibbs in Marx (2002) Rosen's Emerg Med, p. 1730-1
- Klahr (2001) in Noble (2001) Primary Care p. 1359-62