Hyperkalemia: Understanding High Potassium Levels & Treatment

A high level of potassium in the blood is known as hyperkalemia. It's normally a mild condition that can be easily treated, although severe cases are potentially fatal. Hyperkalemia is asymptomatic until the potassium level is quite high.

Normal Range

• The concentration of potassium in the blood is normally between 3.5 to 5.0 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). Hyperkalemia is usually defined as any concentration of potassium greater than 5.0 mEq/L.

Symptoms

• The symptoms of hyperkalemia usually don't appear until the potassium level exceeds 6.0 mEq/L. Typical symptoms include fatigue, muscle weakness, nausea and tingling sensations.

Causes

• Hyperkalemia is frequently caused by kidney dysfunction, as in glomerulonephritis (an inflammation of the small structures inside the kidneys) and lupus nephritis (in which the immune system disease lupus causes kidney inflammation). It can also result from an obstruction in the urinary tract, which prevents urination.

Treatment

• Mild cases of hyperkalemia can be treated by administering diuretics to increase the loss of potassium in the urine. More severe cases may require intravenous glucose, which encourages potassium in the blood to move into the body's cells.

Prevention

• Patients with a tendency toward hyperkalemia may need to reduce their intake of foods high in potassium and avoid certain medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).