hyperkalemisk

Hyperkalemisk is a medical adjective used to describe anything related to hyperkalemia, a condition in which there is an abnormally high concentration of potassium in the blood. It is used to describe patients, findings, or phenomena associated with elevated potassium levels.

Common causes include acute or chronic kidney disease, dehydration, and medications such as ACE inhibitors, ARBs, potassium-sparing diuretics (for example spironolactone), and NSAIDs. Other causes include tissue breakdown from trauma or rhabdomyolysis, metabolic acidosis, adrenal insufficiency, and laboratory or sampling errors such as pseudohyperkalemia.

Clinical signs may be absent; hyperkalemia is often detected through blood tests. Severe elevations or rapid increases can cause weakness, paresthesias, and, most importantly, cardiac arrhythmias. Electrocardiography may show tall peaked T waves, shortened QT interval, widened QRS complexes, or sine-wave patterns in extreme cases.

Management depends on severity. In patients with ECG changes or very high potassium, urgent treatment aims to protect the heart and drive potassium into cells and out of the body: intravenous calcium to stabilize the myocardium, insulin with glucose, beta-agonists, and correcting acidosis if present. Potassium removal may involve diuretics, potassium-binding resins, or dialysis. Prevention includes correcting underlying causes and careful medication management.