Hypokalemia (lack of potassium in the body): signs, causes, treatment. What does an increase or decrease in the level of potassium in the blood mean? Reduced potassium in the blood in Latin

Ask your doctor about the possibility of taking diuretics. Diuretics or diuretics are sometimes used to remove excess potassium through urination. The diuretic is taken orally at a dosage of 0.5-2 mg 1-2 times a day, or intravenously at a dosage of 0.5-1 mg. If necessary, after 2-3 hours, the doctor may prescribe up to 2 more doses of the drug.

• Note that this treatment may not be sufficient for emergency cases, although moderately high potassium levels may be effective.

Hemodialysis. If you have kidney failure or if your potassium level is too high, hemodialysis may help. Hemodialysis is a process of artificial removal of waste products from the blood, which is used in cases where the kidneys cannot cope with their task.

Continue to see your doctor after treatment is complete. After undergoing an appropriate course of treatment for hyperkalemia, it is extremely important to monitor the level of potassium so that it remains within the normal range. Usually, after treatment for hyperkalemia, patients stay in the hospital for a short time, where they are connected to a "heart monitor" (a device that monitors the heart). The doctor may monitor the patient's condition in other ways. When the condition is stable and does not cause concern, the patient is sent home.

Potassium plays an important role in heart health, digestive and muscle function, bone health, and more. The potassium level must be maintained in the correct ratio with the sodium level in the blood. Your need for potassium rises if you consume too much sodium, which is found in high amounts in processed foods.

The mineral and electrolyte potassium is essential for the normal functioning of your cells, tissues and organs. It plays an important role in heart health, digestive and muscle function, bone health, and more.

Potassium: what foods contain

• What else is potassium good for?

Potassium is found in many common US foods. These are fruits, vegetables, dairy products, salmon, sardines and nuts. However, only 2 percent of US adults receive the recommended daily allowance of 4,700 mg.

The tricky part is that potassium is a nutrient that needs to be kept in the right balance with sodium levels.

The need for potassium increases significantly with the consumption of large amounts of sodium, which is present in large quantities in semi-finished products.

People suffering from chronic malabsorption syndromes such as Crohn's disease or people taking heart medications (especially loop diuretics) are at risk of low potassium levels or hypokalemia.

However, the risk of low blood potassium also extends to those who are malnourished., consumes an excessive amount of processed foods and neglects fresh, unprocessed foods.

Normalization of potassium levels in the blood helps lower blood pressure

Between 2000 and 2013, deaths due to hypertension (high blood pressure) increased by about 62 percent, according to a new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the moment, about 70 million adults in the United States, that is, one in three, suffer from this disease.

Only 52 percent of diagnosed patients have their blood pressure under control. Another one in three adults in the United States suffers from prehypertension, which can develop into full-fledged hypertension.

However, most do not know that an incorrect ratio of sodium and potassium can lead to hypertension, since the higher potassium content can reduce the effect of excess salt on blood pressure.

A recent meta-analysis found that daily potassium supplementation in the diet lowered blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure. The researchers note:

“The decrease in blood pressure is associated with a reduced daily ratio of sodium and potassium in the urine and an increased content of potassium in the urine. Patients with high blood pressure may benefit from increased potassium intake along with controlled or reduced sodium intake."

Similarly, an observational study (a prospective urban-rural epidemiological study) spanning four years and involving over 100,000 people from 17 countries found that potassium helps to offset the negative effects of sodium, a high content of which is associated with an increased risk of high pressure.

In the study, people at the lowest risk of heart problems or death from any cause consumed three to six grams of sodium per day, well above the US recommended daily limit. The relationship between sodium and blood pressure is not linear, as potassium plays a role in it.

Increasing potassium may be more important than lowering salt for high blood pressure

The authors suggest that due to this, a significant improvement in the health of the population, including a decrease in blood pressure, can be achieved. One of the authors of the study, Dr. Martin O'Donnell of McMaster University, noted:

“Potatoes, bananas, avocados, leafy greens, nuts, apricots, salmon and mushrooms are high in potassium. It's much easier for people to add new foods to their diet than it is to remove salt from it."

For comparison, according to a 1985 article in the New England Journal of Medicine titled "The Paleolithic Diet", our ancient ancestors got about 11,000 mg of potassium and 700 mg of sodium daily. This is 16 times more potassium than sodium.

At the same time, the daily intake of potassium according to the Standard American Diet is approximately 2500 mg, and sodium - 3600 mg.

The scientists also determined that increasing the average intake of potassium to the recommended 4,700 mg per day would reduce systolic blood pressure by 1.7-3.2 mmHg. Art. among the entire population of the country.

They argue that this reduction is comparable to the reduction that would occur if Americans reduced their salt intake to 4 grams per day. Of course, I don't mean that you can use as much salt as you want, especially when it comes to processed salt.

An imbalance in the content of sodium and potassium can quickly arise with the frequent consumption of processed foods, which are known for their low potassium content and high processed salt content.

Potassium may reduce stroke risk

Getting enough potassium is not only a matter of maintaining healthy blood pressure, but also of reducing the risk of stroke (which makes sense, since high blood pressure is a major risk of stroke).

The study showed that the risk of stroke in women who did not suffer from hypertension and consumed more potassium (about 3200 mg / day) was 21 percent lower.

In addition, women who consumed more potassium were 12 percent less likely to have a stroke and die during the study than those who consumed less.

The lead researcher for the study noted:

“Potassium may play a role in improving brain blood vessel function. This will ensure better oxygenation of the brain tissue and prevent brain tissue death that occurs due to a lack of oxygen in the brain… The effect of potassium intake on a lower risk of stroke may also depend on the choice of a healthier diet, however, we did not consider this factor in our study.” .

A separate study also showed that Increasing potassium intake by 1000 mg/day reduces the risk of stroke by 11 percent. "Dietary potassium intake is inversely related to the risk of stroke, especially ischemic stroke." (Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke, resulting from a blockage in a vessel that supplies blood to the brain.)

The importance of dietary potassium intake

It is recommended to get nutrients from food, not food supplements. Potassium intake is no exception. The potassium found in fruits and vegetables is either potassium citrate or potassium malate. The potassium found in supplements is usually potassium chloride.

The citrate, malate, and other substances in dietary potassium, especially in vegetables and fruits, help your body produce alkali, which promotes strong bones and can even maintain quality muscle mass as you age. Researcher Dr. Bess Dawson-Hughes of Tufts University noted the following in the journal Nutrition Action:

“If you don’t have enough alkali to balance the acid load from the grains and protein found in the typical American diet, you lose calcium in the urine, which leads to bone loss…

When the body contains more acids than it can freely excrete, the bone cells receive a signal that the body needs to neutralize the acid with alkali ... Bone is a reservoir of alkali. Therefore, the body thins out some of the bones in order to increase the alkalinity of the body.”

Bone loss can lead to brittle bones and, over time, even osteoporosis. Keep in mind that unlike potassium chloride in dietary supplements, potassium in fruits and vegetables can help improve bone health.

The Dawson-Hughes study found that people with relatively healthy acid-base balance consumed over eight servings of fruits and vegetables per day along with 5.5 servings of cereals to maintain healthy bones and muscles.

When rounding the results, it turned out that the consumption of cereals was half that of fruits and vegetables. For many Americans, the simple recommendation for increasing alkali (and potassium) while reducing acids is to eat more vegetables and less grains.

What else is potassium good for?

Without a doubt, potassium is very beneficial for heart health, reducing the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. It also helps reduce the risk of heart disease. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes the following:

“Studies have shown that [people with] higher sodium to potassium ratios are more likely to develop heart disease and overall mortality. Other studies have shown that patients with previous heart attacks and moderate levels of potassium in the blood have a lower risk of death.”

A potassium-rich diet has also been shown to improve bone health, especially in older women, and possibly reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Symptoms of low potassium include weakness, lack of energy, muscle cramps, stomach discomfort, cardiac arrhythmia, and an abnormal ECG (electrocardiogram - a test that measures the functioning of the heart).

If you're wondering about your potassium levels, ask your healthcare provider for a blood test.

Is your sodium to potassium ratio normal?

If you eat a lot of processed foods and few vegetables, then you have a high probability of an incorrect ratio of sodium and potassium levels. If you're unsure, try the free My Fitness Pal app, which allows you to add the foods you consume and automatically calculates the ratio.

• For starters, stop eating processed foods. Prepared foods are high in processed salt and low in potassium and other nutrients
• For an optimal and balanced diet, eat natural and organic foods. These Foods Contain Much More Potassium Than Sodium
• If you add salt to your meals, use natural salt. I think that Himalayan salt may be the most suitable, as compared to others, it contains less sodium and more potassium.

I do not recommend taking potassium supplements to correct sodium and potassium imbalances. Instead, it's better to just change your diet and add potassium-rich whole foods to it.

Green vegetable juice is a great way to ensure you get enough nutrients for optimal health outcomes. A glass of this juice contains 300 to 400 mg of potassium.

Some potassium-rich sources are:

• lima beans (955 mg/cup)
• winter squash (896 mg/cup)
• boiled spinach (839 mg/cup)
• avocado (500 mg per serving)

Other potassium-rich fruits and vegetables include:

• Fruits- papaya, plums, cantaloupe and bananas. (Remember that bananas are high in sugar and half as much potassium as an equivalent amount of green vegetables. The high potassium content of bananas is a myth. Green vegetables contain twice as much potassium.)
• Vegetables- broccoli, brussels sprouts, avocado, asparagus, pumpkin, chard and beet greens.published.

The materials are for informational purposes only. Remember, self-medication is life-threatening, consult a doctor for advice on the use of any medications and treatments.

Joseph Mercola

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consciousness - together we change the world! © econet

We will find out the causes of hypokalemia, the means of protection and the risks that appear with a deficiency of this mineral, which is necessary for many functions of the body, especially at the level of the muscular and nervous systems. Often it is enough to simply adjust the diet to restore normal potassium levels.

Low levels of potassium in the blood

Potassium is electrolyte, which is present inside the cells of our body. It is very important for many physiological functions, in particular, for the contraction of all the muscles of the body, including the heart and for the health of the nerves.

The concentration of potassium in the blood regulated mainly by the kidneys, through greater or lesser excretion of electrolyte in the urine.

Let's see what the values ​​might be:

• Correct levels of potassium in the blood are in the range of 3.5 and 5.0 mg/l.
• When the value drops below 3.5 mg / l, they talk about low potassium in the blood and hypokalemia.

Another electrolyte, sodium, is often lost along with potassium, since the sodium / potassium ratio is a good indicator of body hydration, its correct values ​​\u200b\u200bare:

• Correct sodium values ​​are between 0.85-0.90 for men and 0.9-1.0 for women.
• A sodium/potassium ratio below 0.6 indicates dehydration.
• A sodium/potassium ratio above 1.6, on the other hand, indicates a state of overhydration.

Symptoms and consequences of potassium deficiency

Lack of potassium in the blood can lead to symptoms that range from mild to very severe. The symptoms of hypokalemia are determined by the physiological role of potassium and therefore electrolyte imbalance, which develops with a decrease in potassium levels.

Among the most common symptoms of potassium deficiency we have:

• muscle problems: potassium deficiency determines muscle cramps, tetanic twitches, muscle weakness, decreased reflexes and fatigue in the limbs.
• bowel problems: develops paralytic ileus and mild symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, constipation and a feeling of bloating.
• heart problems: Potassium deficiency leads to problems in the heart, such as changes in heart rate, causing the subject to suffer from tachycardia, extrasystole, and ventricular fibrillation.
• kidney symptoms: potassium deficiency can lead to polyuria, that is, excessive production and excretion of urine (more than two liters) within 24 hours, and as a result, a persistent feeling of thirst.
• pressure problems: Potassium deficiency can lead to hypertension due to an altered sodium/potassium ratio that is unbalanced in favor of sodium. But hypokalemia can also define low blood pressure due to an electrolyte imbalance.
• Psychological symptoms: Electrolytic imbalance caused by potassium deficiency can lead to depressive states or delirium, a confused state of mind or hallucinations.

Causes of hypokalemia - pathological and non-pathological

Now let's see what can be causes of low potassium in the blood, what diseases are accompanied by a lack of this electrolyte and what non-pathological conditions can have an effect on a decrease in potassium levels.

Pathological causes of hypokalemia

Among the diseases that can lead to hypokalemia, there are:

• Vomiting and diarrhea: frequent episodes of diarrhea and prolonged vomiting cause the body to become dehydrated, which is the loss of large amounts of fluid, and therefore electrolytes, including potassium. Vomiting and diarrhea are nonspecific symptoms of many diseases. Vomiting can lead to a state of hypokalemia during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester.
• Bartter syndrome: this is a rare genetic pathology in which there is an excessive excretion of fluid and electrolytes through the urine, as a result of an altered functioning of the sodium, potassium and chlorine reabsorption system at the level of the kidney bend.
• Liddle syndrome: This is a genetic disease in which there is high blood pressure and a decrease in potassium levels due to a defect in sodium reabsorption at the level of the renal tubules.
• Diabetes: A decrease in potassium levels can be observed in diabetes mellitus. An increase in the blood glucose value leads, in fact, to an electrolyte imbalance and a decrease in potassium levels.
• Eating Disorders: Illnesses such as bulimia and anorexia can lead to hypokalemia due to frequent vomiting.
• Hyperaldosteronism: this is a pathology in which there is a defect in the secretion of the hormone aldosterone, which is produced in excessive quantities and causes a decrease in the level of potassium in the blood.
• Cushing's syndrome: this is a condition in which, for various reasons, an excess secretion of glucocorticoid hormones develops. This results in an electrolyte imbalance in the body, in which there is a decrease in potassium levels.
• severe burns: Severe burns lead to loss of fluid and electrolytes in the body due to severe dehydration of the body due to excess heat, and therefore can determine the development of hypokalemia.

Nonpathological Causes of Potassium Loss

There are several causes of hypokalemia that are not pathological:

• Nutrition: potassium deficiency can occur due to improper diet, but this happens very rarely, since potassium is found in many foods
• Surgical operations: After some surgeries, a decrease in the level of potassium in the blood may occur. For example, anti-obesity surgery aimed at reducing nutrient absorption can reduce blood potassium levels with subsequent hypokalemia.
• Medications: many drugs can lead to the development of hypokalemia, as they affect the electrolytic balance of the body. Among them are diuretics, which accelerate the removal of fluids from the body, and therefore also electrolytes; laxatives, which lead to an increase in the loss of water and ions with feces; some antibiotics such as gentamicin and penicillins; insulin therapy.
• sweating: Excessive sweating, for example, after a long workout, without proper rehydration, can cause a potassium deficiency, as you lose a lot of salts and minerals with sweat.
• Fast: Hypokalemia can sometimes be observed, developing due to dietary beliefs, religious beliefs, or a simple lack of appetite due to stress, anxiety or illness.
• herbal teas: Commonly used herbal teas such as slimming cleansing tea and diuretic teas can lower potassium levels through excessive loss of fluid and electrolytes.

Elimination of potassium deficiency

If the potassium level is only slightly below normal, then the correction can be made only at the food level, if the level is too low, intravenous injections will be required. It is also necessary to determine the cause of hypokalemia, if it is caused by a disease, then treatment should begin with the elimination of this disease.

Those with slightly low potassium levels may use nutritional supplements. Potassium is found in many foods, but some of them are especially rich in this mineral.

There is no standard diet for hypokalemia, but you can add potassium-rich foods to your diet, such as:

• Fresh fruits: Some fruits such as bananas (499mg/100g), apricots (259mg/100g) and kiwi (312mg/100g).
• Dried fruits: such as dried dates (656mg/100g), hazelnuts (680mg/100g), prunes (732mg/100g) and dried chestnuts (986mg/100g).
• Vegetables: Certain vegetables such as beetroot (762mg/100g), spinach (558mg/100g), mushrooms (448mg/100g) and squash (459mg/100g).
• Fish: such as smoked salmon (960 mg/100 g), sardines (630 mg/100 g), trout (450 mg/100 g) and mackerel (446 mg/100 g).
• Legumes: black beans (1483 mg/100g), fresh beans (1332 mg/100g) and peas (875 mg/100g)

You can also take potassium supplements. These additives are available on the market in various forms:

• Drinks based on mineral salts: contain a mixture of minerals, including potassium, which are used mainly after physical exertion, leading to excessive sweating.
• Effervescent tablets: dissolve in water and, as a rule, have many other minerals in their composition.

Potassium chloride in cases of severe deficiency

For the treatment of hypokalemia, there are real medicines to replenish potassium in the body and increase its level in the blood. In addition to nutritional supplements and a potassium diet, potassium levels can be restored by taking liquid or microencapsulated potassium chloride.

In the first case, doses should not exceed 25-50 mg, as it is poorly tolerated by patients due to the bitter taste and the possible formation of intestinal ulcers. In the second case, the capsules contain about 8-10 mg. The dose and time of admission is determined by the doctor.

If there is a severe potassium deficiency, then it is necessary administer this mineral intravenously. This remedy is used when:

• The amount of potassium in the blood is below 3 mg / l.
• There is a rapid loss of potassium that cannot be replaced by nutritional supplements or the patient does not respond to oral medications.
• Severe symptoms appear, such as arrhythmias, paralysis, and respiratory failure.

Usually, potassium enters the body of the patient exclusively with food and is excreted accordingly. Such a process does not cause the development of hyperkalemia, since it is balanced and involves the rapid disposal of excess particles. Thus, problems with potassium levels are often due to serious medical conditions.

Functions of potassium and norms in the body

Potassium contributes to the normal functioning of several important processes in the body:

1. Nervous system (contributes to the transmission of brain signals).
2. Cardiovascular system (ensures the normalization of the heart rhythm).
3. Muscular structure (promotes activity and the ability to respond quickly).

Problems with the level of potassium in the body can cause the following difficulties (listed in order of occurrence as the pathology develops):

• little effect on heart rate;
• significant changes;
• severe heart rhythm problems;
• heart failure.

Increasing potassium can also negatively affect the muscle structure, causing paralysis of varying severity. It is impossible to ignore such problems of the body in any case.

The norms of potassium and the degree of deviation from them are as follows:

Hyperkalemia in severe form requires immediate medical intervention, it can cause the most dangerous consequences, including death.

Symptoms and causes of hyperkalemia

The main sign that hyperkalemia has arisen is heart rhythm disturbances, which become more and more noticeable over time. They will begin to be reflected on the ECG only when the disease reaches at least moderate severity.

In addition to this symptom, there are also others that do not always appear:

• urge to nausea;
• regular fatigue and lethargy;
• development of muscle weakness;
• breathing difficulties;
• chest pain;
• cramps in the stomach;
• decrease in the speed of reaction to stimuli;
• development of limb numbness.

The development of hyperkalemia is usually associated with the occurrence of many other diseases.

The reasons may be:

1. Kidney failure (the most common reason for the occurrence of hyperkalemia, since problems with them prevent the removal of potassium from the body).
2. Too frequent and regular use of cigarettes and alcohol.
3. Long-term regular intake of potassium supplements.
4. Chemotherapy.
5. Burns.
6. Injuries and surgeries.
7. Problems with red blood cells.
8. Tumor growth.
9. The development of diabetes.
10. Problems of the urinary tract.

Diagnosis occurs, as a rule, against the background of an ECG image characteristic of hyperkalemia. In this case, the patient is sent for examination of the kidneys using ultrasound. The same applies to patients suffering from diseases of the urinary tract.

Methods of treatment

The first remedy for treating hyperkalemia is to immediately stop all potassium-containing drugs and use a laxative to remove them from the body. If the potassium level is extremely high, it may be necessary to use droppers, including hemodialysis for its emergency cleansing. At the same time, drugs that normalize cardiac activity are used.

When mild hyperkalemia (symptoms) is detected, treatment with folk remedies is also allowed.

It is important to remember the following principles:

1. Several types of herbs should be avoided, even if they have been used in the treatment of other comorbid conditions. These include alfalfa, dandelions, horsetails, nettles. All of these plants can cause an increase in potassium levels in the body.
2. You should change your diet. Some foods will need to be removed from it, the use of others is better to increase.

Sour fruits and berries

Wheat and products based on it

You should stop smoking, drinking alcohol.

1. Exercise is essential to balance potassium in the body. At least half an hour a day.
2. Herbal teas will be of great benefit, the obligatory components of which should be: green tea, chamomile.

Before taking them, it is important for pregnant women to separately consult with the attending specialist. Contacting a nutritionist will allow you to create a complete diet for every day.

Recently, the problem of increased hemoglobin in the blood has appeared. I understood, of course, not immediately. Of the signs were problems with heart rhythm. Having consulted a doctor who advised me to change my diet and reduce the load at work, I began to constantly take tests, and over time, the amount of potassium returned to normal. Take care of your health!

Please tell me - in order to lower potassium in the blood with affordable and simple means, can you do any physical exercises to balance potassium or is there a special complex for the prevention and treatment of hyperkalemia?

Hyperkalemia (excess potassium in the body): causes, signs, treatment

The feeling that goosebumps are crawling all over the body or that the arms or legs suddenly begin to “stiffen” can hardly seem pleasant. When such a state becomes almost habitual, a person begins to look for the cause. Often, such patients already have some kind of pathology - kidney problems, diabetes mellitus or something else, that is, they usually make up a group of "chronics". However, everything should not be attributed to a chronic disease, the cause of such troubles can be established by a biochemical analysis, which can reveal an increased content of potassium in the blood.

Hyperkalemia appears for various reasons, but in most cases it is associated with serious diseases, the consequence of which it became.

Causes of high concentration of potassium in the body

exercise is a possible cause of physiological hyperkalemia

The causes of an increase in the level of potassium in the blood serum, excluding intense physical activity, which gives transient hyperkalemia, are usually diseases, of which there are many:

1. Severe injuries.
2. Necrosis.
3. Intracellular and intravascular hemolysis, which normally occurs constantly, since red blood cells "age" and are destroyed, however, in the case of many pathological conditions of an infectious, toxic, autoimmune, traumatic nature, the breakdown of red blood cells occurs faster, and there is a lot of potassium in the blood.
4. Starvation.
5. Burns.
6. The collapse of the tumor;
7. Operational interventions.
8. Shock (the addition of metabolic acidosis significantly aggravates its course).
9. Oxygen starvation of tissues.
10. metabolic acidosis.
11. Lack of insulin in hyperglycemia.
12. Increased breakdown of proteins or glycogen.
13. Increased permeability of outer cell membranes, allowing potassium to leave the cell (with anaphylactic shock).
14. Decreased excretion of potassium ions by the excretory system (kidney damage - acute renal failure and chronic renal failure, decreased diuresis - oliguria and anuria).
15. Hormonal disorders (violation of the functional abilities of the adrenal cortex);

Thus, an excess of potassium in the body is due either to cell breakdown, causing excessive release of potassium from them, or to a decrease in potassium excretion by the kidneys in any renal pathology, or (to a lesser extent) for other reasons (administration of potassium supplements, medication, etc.) .

Symptoms of hyperkalemia

Symptoms of hyperkalemia depend on the level of potassium in the blood: the higher it is, the stronger the signs and clinical manifestations of the pathological condition:

• Muscle weakness, which is caused by depolarization of cells and a decrease in their excitability.
• Violation of the rhythm of heart contractions.
• Too high a level of potassium in the blood can lead to paralysis of the respiratory muscles.
• The state of hyperkalemia threatens to stop cardiac activity, which often occurs in diastole.
• The cardiotoxic effect of the element is reflected in the ECG. In this case, in the electrocardiogram recording, one can expect a prolongation of the PQ interval and an expansion of the QRS complex, AV conduction is inhibited, and the P wave is not recorded. The extended QRS complex merges with the T wave, resulting in a sinusoid-like line. These changes lead to ventricular fibrillation and asystole. However, as with hypokalemia, elevated blood potassium does not have a clear correlation with ECG abnormalities, that is, the cardiogram does not allow us to fully judge the degree of cardiotoxic effect of this element.

Sometimes, when receiving the result of laboratory tests, a perfectly healthy person notices an excess of potassium concentration in the blood serum (usually high values ​​are underlined in red). It is highly undesirable to make a diagnosis for yourself, since in the laboratory this analysis is classified as “capricious”. Incorrect venipuncture (tight tourniquet, occlusion of blood vessels by hand) or further processing of the taken sample (hemolysis, delayed separation of serum, prolonged storage of blood) can lead to pseudohyperkalemia, which is present only in the test tube, and not in the human body, so there are no symptoms or signs gives.

Treatment of hyperkalemia

Considering that the increase in the level of potassium in the blood is caused by other diseases, the elimination of the cause is not the last place in the treatment of hyperkalemia. Therapy includes the use of mineralocorticoids, the fight against metabolic acidosis, the appointment of a diet poor in potassium.

Unfortunately, sometimes the potassium concentration gets out of control, and situations are created when an excess of this element becomes a life-threatening condition (K + in plasma above 7.5 mmol / l). Severe hyperkalemia requires a quick response and emergency measures, the purpose of which is to regulate the level of potassium in the patient's blood to normal levels, which involves the transport of K + into cells and its excretion through the kidneys:

1. If the patient received drugs containing this element or contributing to its accumulation in the body, they are immediately canceled.
2. To protect the heart muscle, 10% calcium gluconate is slowly injected intravenously at a dose of 10 ml, the effect of which should appear after 5 minutes (on the ECG) and last up to an hour. If this does not happen, that is, there are no changes in the ECG record after 5 minutes, calcium gluconate should be administered again at the same dose.
3. In order to force potassium ions to go to the cells and thus reduce its plasma content, fast-acting insulin (up to 20 IU) with glucose is used to prevent hypoglycemia (if blood sugar is high, glucose is dispensed with).
4. The introduction of only glucose in order to stimulate the production of endogenous insulin will also help reduce K +, but this process is lengthy, so it is not very suitable for urgent measures.
5. The movement of potassium ions is facilitated by β-2-adrenergic stimulants and sodium bicarbonate. The latter is undesirable for use in chronic renal failure, due to low efficiency and the threat of overloading the body with sodium.
6. Loop and thiazide diuretics help to remove potassium from the body (with preserved kidney function), cation exchange resins (sodium polystyrene sulfonate orally or in an enema).
7. The most effective way to quickly cope with severe hyperkalemia is considered hemodialysis. This method is used in case of failure of the measures taken and is indicated for patients with acute or chronic renal failure.

In conclusion, I would like to once again draw the attention of patients receiving potassium-sparing diuretics for a long time, which pose a threat of hyperkalemia, especially if the patient has renal insufficiency, so the use of drugs receiving this element should be excluded, and the use of foods containing it in large quantities - limit.

These foods are best avoided:

At home, laboratory tests are not always available, and it may not be possible to quickly remove potassium on your own, even if all the necessary medicines for emergency care are at hand. It's just that sometimes the heart fails ...

What will help reduce the level of potassium in the blood with hyperkalemia

The main cause of disorders of potassium metabolism in the body, including hyperkalemia, is chronic kidney disease.

Hypokalemia is quite rare in patients and is usually caused by too low sodium intake, while the use of diuretics.

A more common problem is hyperkalemia, which is characterized by a serum potassium concentration above 5.5 mmol/L.

Causes of hyperkalemia

In people suffering from chronic renal failure, as a result of a decrease in renal secretion, potassium removal through the gastrointestinal tract is enhanced. In these individuals, hyperkalemia is common.

Bananas will have to be abandoned.

Causes of hyperkalemia include:

• excessive intake of potassium in the diet in patients with renal insufficiency;
• violations of potassium excretion through the kidneys;
• violation of intracellular transport of potassium;
• massive release of potassium from damaged cells, crush syndrome;
• violations of water and electrolyte balance;
• intense protein catabolism;
• tissue hypoxia;
• hemolysis.

The most common form of the disease is drug-induced hyperkalemia caused by drugs that affect the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. As a rule, these drugs are widely used in the treatment of hypertension, they block sodium channels in the kidneys.

Drug-induced hyperkalemia can also result from stopping renin production through the use of ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Sometimes an increase in the level of potassium in the blood can occur as a result of the use of potassium-sparing diuretics, such as spironolactone.

An increase in the concentration of potassium ions in the blood also contributes to: dehydration, strychnine intoxication, treatment with cytostatic agents, hypofunction of the adrenal cortex (Addison's disease), hypoaldosteronism, persistent hypoglycemia or metabolic acidosis.

Symptoms of hyperkalemia

Clinically distinguish hyperkalemia:

Symptoms of the disease often appear only with severe hyperkalemia, and include mainly impairment of the skeletal muscle, central nervous system, and heart.

Symptoms of hyperkalemia also include muscle weakness or paralysis, a tingling sensation, and confusion. Hyperkalemia also impairs the functioning of the heart muscle and can lead to life-threatening arrhythmias such as bradycardia or extra beats that are easily identified from an ECG recording.

On the ECG, you can often see an increase in the amplitude of the T wave, as well as its wedge shape. In the case of a higher stage of the disease, the PR interval undergoes widening, as does the duration of the QRS. In addition, P waves become flatter and ventricular conduction is weaker. The QRS and T wave eventually merge, and the ECG waveform takes on the shape of a sinusoid.

In such a situation, there is a danger of flickering of the cameras and, as a result, a slowdown in blood circulation. The diagnosis of the disease is made on the basis of the clinical picture and laboratory measurements of the level of potassium in the blood serum.

Treatment of hyperkalemia

Treatment of hyperkalemia consists in excluding its causes, for example, withdrawal of drugs that cause it, as well as in taking drugs that reduce the concentration of potassium in the blood serum.

The concentration of potassium in the blood serum is reduced by: calcium, glucose with insulin, bicarbonate, beta-mimetics, ion exchangers, laxatives and hemodialysis. When no remedy is available, you can use an enema.

In the treatment of hyperkalemia, a ml of 10% calcium gluconate or 5 ml of 10% calcium chloride is used. The supply of calcium salt requires constant monitoring of the ECG. Glucose with insulin must be administered intravenously or use an infusion.

Kidney disease often accompanies acidosis. In the case of its occurrence, bicarbonate intake brings many benefits. In order to avoid alkalosis, it is best to constantly monitor the pH level. Bicarbonate should not be given when the person already has pulmonary edema, hypokalemia, or hypernatremia.

Ion exchange resins are administered orally or rectally, and the standard dosage is g. They retain potassium in the colon, which leads to a decrease in the concentration of potassium throughout the body. The use of laxatives increases the volume of feces. Thus, the amount of potassium excreted through the gastrointestinal tract also increases.

The use of a drug from the group of B2 mimetics is carried out through inhalation of therapeutic doses of salbutamol, which causes the transition of potassium into blood cells. If these treatments do not bring the expected results, and hyperkalemia is kept at a high level (more than 6.5 mmol/l), it is recommended to perform hemodialysis.

As you can see, there are many ways to treat hyperkalemia, and what will be effective in a particular person, first of all, depends on the clinical condition of the patient. Prevention of the disease is to reduce the amount of potassium in the diet, stop taking drugs that increase potassium levels and taking diuretics, such as furosemide. The decision on this or that method of treatment should be made at the doctor's appointment.

Increased potassium in the blood: lower the concentration

The structure of the blood is extremely diverse. Each of its elements is responsible for certain processes. Ions in the blood regulate the course of cellular reactions. An important role among the ions is played by potassium, which is involved in ensuring the functioning of the heart. It also participates in the processes of the brain at the biochemical level and the work of the digestive organs. When a person's potassium content rises, all these systems fail.

Symptoms of increased potassium concentration

Symptoms of hyperkalemia (increased potassium in the blood) are not specific. With it, there are disorders of the work of the heart, the disappearance of bioelectric cardiac activity, a violation of pressure, plegia and paralysis. Also, people with this disease are prone to hyperactivity, excitability, irritability, colic.

Hyperkalemia, depending on how much potassium is more than normal in plasma, causes tachycardia, general weakness, respiratory dysfunction and other equally dangerous conditions that can cause death.

Possible changes in pressure and respiratory functions

Causes of hyperkalemia

The main causes of hyperkalemia are hidden in external circumstances or are the result of internal disorders. Doctors note that the abuse of food, which contains a lot of potassium, causes hyperkalemia (increased levels of potassium in the blood).

These products include:

But the disease develops when the patient's excretory functions of the kidneys are impaired. The state of hyperkalemia can also be caused by:

• hemolysis;
• the collapse of tumors;
• decomposition of tissues during long-term compression;
• violation of acid and alkaline balance;
• deficiency of insulin;
• blood hyperosmolarity;
• hyperkalemic paralysis;
• renal and adrenal insufficiency.

Important: The human body is not able to store potassium. If the output of this element is somehow violated, discords of all systems begin.

There is another source that causes hyperkalemia - these are drug causes, when a person takes drugs that lead to an excess of potassium. These include: Triamteren, Spironolactone. "Mannitol", "Heparin".

Diagnostic methods

If a person suspects that he has an increased concentration of potassium in the blood, he will not be able to correctly diagnose himself. You can identify this disorder with the help of research in laboratories.

To establish a diagnosis, you need to undergo tests such as:

• blood donation. Thanks to the analysis, it is possible to find out whether the content of this element in the serum is exceeded;
• passing urine allows you to find out the amount of potassium leaving the body;
• ECG. Hyperkalemia on the ECG is shown by an increase in the amplitude of the T wave of the ventricular complex.

Hyperkalemia can be seen with an ECG

Therapeutic measures

Treatment of hyperkalemia, due to the fact that this is a very serious disease, begins immediately after the diagnosis is established. Drug treatment includes: intravenous administration of potassium blockers, dialysis, laxatives - all this is directed to the retention of cations in the intestines and their removal from the body along with feces.

What should be the diet

Patients with hyperkalemia are recommended special nutrition and a diet that excludes foods high in potassium. It is advisable to diversify the cuisine with such products as pineapple, blueberries, grapes, carrots, currants, shadberry, lemon, onion, tangerine, plum, cabbage, asparagus, rice, celery, greens.

Limit your intake of potassium-containing foods

A person suffering from hyperkalemia (high potassium in the blood) should know that he should not consume or overindulge in these foods:

Of course, avoiding the use of all potassium-containing foods is extremely difficult. You can use a loyal method - to eat a prohibited product exactly as much as it fits in the palm of your hand. You can boil vegetables, and potassium will come out of them during cooking. Also switch to tea instead of the usual coffee, dry wine instead of beer and cider, eat oatmeal cookies instead of chocolates.

Tip: It must be remembered that any treatment is due to the root cause of the disease. If the increase in potassium was due to kidney failure, then you will have to take medication.

And if the violation occurred purely because of personal habits and preferences to lead a wrong lifestyle and eat, then by adjusting your diet, you can reduce the concentration of potassium. To recover, you need to focus on the causes of the pathology.

How to lower potassium levels in the body

Chronically elevated levels of potassium in the blood (hyperkalemia) are usually a sign of poor kidney function. It can also be caused by certain medications, serious injury, a severe diabetic crisis (called "diabetic ketoacidosis"), and other causes. High levels of potassium can be dangerous to health and life (if it is very high) - such conditions require the supervision of a doctor.

Steps Edit

Method 1 of 2:

High Potassium Correction Edit

Method 2 of 2:

Symptoms of High Potassium Edit

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How to lower the level of potassium in the blood

my analysis twice showed increased potassium -5.40 at an acceptable rate of -5.30 How can I lower it to this level. Regards, Mikhail.

Answer! Eliminate all greens from your diet, including vegetables and fruits!

The most common reason for this kind of deviation from the recommended norm is taking medications, for example, potassium diuretics and some other drugs.

Therefore, you need to adjust the dose of medications you take (if you are taking something).

An increase in blood potassium can be triggered by certain foods.

In addition, there are a number of diseases, accompanied by a rise in potassium levels. As a rule, in this case, there are additional symptoms that you do not mention, and then an additional examination is recommended.

In all cases, it is necessary to look for the cause, to observe the dynamics of the level of potassium in the blood.

Why homeopathy is useful in your case - an individually selected homeopathic remedy restores the disturbed balance, acting on the cause of its occurrence gently and harmlessly.

Sincerely, homeopath Elena Matyash.

Correct in the second line - potassium diuretics to potassium-sparing diuretics.

Potassium is a chemical element of group I with atomic number 19 in the periodic system. It is denoted by the symbol K (lat. Kalium), the name comes from lat. kalium, or English. potash - potash. Opened and first isolated in pure form by G. Davy in 1807 (England).

A lot of potassium contains potatoes (429 mg / 100 g), bread (240 mg / 100 g), watermelon, melon. Legumes are distinguished by a significant content of potassium: soybeans (1796 mg / 100 g), beans (1061 mg / 100 g), peas (900 mg / 100 g). Cereals contain a lot of potassium: oatmeal, millet, etc. Vegetables are a significant source of potassium: cabbage (148 mg / 100 g), carrots (129 mg / 100 g), beets (155 mg / 100 g), as well as animal products; milk (127 mg/100 g), beef (241 mg/100 g), fish (162 mg/100 g). There is also a lot of potassium in apples, grapes, citrus fruits, kiwi, bananas, avocados, dried fruits, tea.

People with an excess of potassium are usually easily excitable, impressionable, hyperactive, suffer from excessive sweating, frequent urination.

The accumulation of potassium in the blood, hyperkalemia (at a concentration of more than 0.06%) leads to severe poisoning, accompanied by paralysis of the skeletal muscles; when the concentration of potassium in the blood exceeds 0.1%, death occurs. Long-term constant use of potassium medicinal preparations can cause a weakening of the contractile activity of the heart muscle, therefore, in such cases, sodium preparations are prescribed instead of potassium preparations. Acidosis contributes to the development of hyperkalemia.

The main causes of excess potassium:

Excess intake (including prolonged and excessive intake of potassium preparations, consumption of "bitter" mineral waters, constant potato diet, etc.).

Violation of the regulation of potassium metabolism.

Redistribution of potassium between body tissues.

Massive release of potassium from cells (cytolysis, hemolysis, tissue crush syndrome).

Dysfunction of the sympathoadrenal system.

Impaired kidney function, renal failure.

There are new good methods for treatment. Contact. I will help you.

A slight increase in indicators may be an element of the norm for a particular person. Each person has their own "norm". The limits are taken for relatively healthy people according to their performance. This suggests that in many "healthy" people this figure did not exceed 5.30. And in many patients it exceeded.

Firstly, I want to draw your attention to the fact that any treatment must begin with cleansing. We must look for the root of the disease, and not for the symptoms. In addition, analyzes in most cases do not give a complete and correct picture.

Secondly, the intake of herbs and dietary supplements and homeopathy is many times more effective after the intestinal walls are cleansed of a layer of putrefactive scale and fecal stones.

It is also necessary to establish nutrition. Hence the beginning of all problems

Symptoms of a weakened immune system are very often associated with slagging of the body, chronic fatigue, lack of vitamins, frequent infectious diseases, and other relatively easily solved problems.

Thirdly, a complete cleansing of the body, including cleansing the intestines, liver, kidneys, lymph will also help from other

symptoms, because they are often associated with slagging of the body

Fourthly, hair analysis, which allows you to determine which vitamins and minerals you personally lack, which organs are weakened, which food you are allergic to, I highly recommend it for various neglected and chronic diseases. If you send us 20 hairs in an envelope (up to 2 cm long) to סמטת אזר"ר 5 בני ברק, you can get the result within 10 days. Call me58 before sending.

In order for me to help you, additional information about your health condition is required.

What is the danger of increased potassium in the blood

When a person is hospitalized in a hospital, he undergoes a full range of diagnostic measures. Among other laboratory data, doctors pay attention to such an indicator as the level of potassium. In a certain category of patients, primarily those with a history of pathology of the urinary system, during the biochemistry of a blood test, it can be established that potassium in the blood is elevated. What does it mean?

The role of potassium

The importance of the presence of potassium in the body cannot be overestimated, since it is this cation, interacting with sodium, that makes it possible to create conditions for the contraction of muscle fibers and the transmission of nerve impulses. In addition, it is potassium that participates in the processes of activation of biologically active substances, maintaining the water-salt balance, and determines the acid balance of the internal environment of the body.

Norm

Normally, the content of potassium in the blood does not exceed 5.3 mmol / l. The main role in maintaining the normal concentration of this trace element belongs to a specific hormone - aldosterone. This hormone provides the launch of physiological mechanisms that lead to the removal of excess potassium from the body along with urine. Let's look at the table of the norm of potassium in the body.

Table of the norm of potassium in the blood

When the hormonal background in the body changes, the normal course of all metabolic processes fails, the balance of microelements is also disturbed, which leads to a decrease in the excitability of cell membranes. As a result of these changes, pathological conditions of all body systems develop, primarily cardiac, nervous and muscular.

False positive results

The reasons for the change in potassium levels in a biochemical blood test can be true and false. False-positive results of a laboratory examination can be in the following cases of violation of the rules for taking blood from a vein:

• applying a tourniquet to increase blood pressure in a vein for a long time;
• vein puncture during puncture;
• the implementation of the sampling of material immediately after the introduction of potassium preparations to the patient;
• non-compliance with the rules for storing blood samples;
• the patient has conditions in which platelets in the blood and leukocyte cells increase in the vascular bed;
• the presence in the patient's history of genetic diseases, which are characterized by constant elevated levels of potassium in the blood plasma.

Causes

The provoking factors of a pathological change in the level of potassium can be either diseases of the internal organs or the negative impact of the environment, the causes of a violation of potassium in the blood:

• diseases of the endocrine system, primarily diabetes mellitus, when the patient's insulin content in the blood decreases;
• the development of an acidic state, in which the acid balance inside the body is disturbed;
• progressive burn disease;
• the breakdown of cancerous tumors;
• significant damage to muscle fibers;
• diseases of the urinary system, in which the excretory function of the kidneys is impaired;
• a side effect of certain medications;
• increased blood sugar;
• with the development of kidney pathology, the patient's condition can be aggravated by eating foods that have a high potassium content, for example, dried fruits, nuts, bananas, mushrooms.

The level of potassium in the blood of an adult does not depend on the patient's gender and can change with equal probability in the male and female parts of the population.

Symptoms

The first signs of changes in the concentration of potassium in an adult begin to appear with a significant deviation from the norm (over 7 mmol / l).

The patient in this case has the following symptoms:

muscle weakness

• the presence of muscle weakness, impaired motor activity;
• the innervation of the fingers of the upper and lower extremities is disturbed, numbness, paresthesias appear in them (a feeling of crawling "goosebumps");
• dementia (dementia);
• the development of lethargy, slowing down the response to external stimuli;
• there may be a violation of consciousness;
• on the part of cardiac activity - significant changes in blood pressure, tachycardia of the heart, a feeling of lack of air.

One of the first signs of the development of hyperkalemia in a child may be excessive excitability, increased tearfulness and the appearance of a specific smell of acetone from the mouth.

Treatment

Why is elevated potassium in blood plasma dangerous? With the aggravation of the pathological process, asystole can occur - cardiac arrest.

That is why it is necessary, when the first signs of this pathology appear, to hospitalize him as soon as possible and begin treatment of a high level of potassium:

• the appointment of intravenous calcium preparations, which are potassium antagonists. The use of this group of drugs should be carried out under strict control of cardiac activity;
• with a sharp decrease in the level of insulin in the blood, the patient is prescribed intravenous drip in combination with a glucose solution (the percentage of the latter solution is calculated by the doctor based on the data of a laboratory blood test). This therapeutic tactic promotes a balanced redistribution of potassium within the cells of the body, gradually reducing its content in plasma;
• the use of diuretic diuretics enhances the excretion of excess potassium from the body along with urine;
• intravenous administration of soda solutions eliminates the state of acidosis;
• additionally, drugs with a laxative effect can be prescribed, which further enhances the excretion of excess cation from the body along with feces;
• the use of drugs from the group of beta-mimetics, for example, salbutamol, promotes the movement of potassium ions into cells;
• in especially severe clinical cases, dialysis may be prescribed, resulting in blood purification.

Calcium preparations

Therapeutic measures are not limited to the normalization of the current state of the patient. What to do after the indicators have been brought back to normal? Next, the patient should undergo a complete diagnosis to establish the true causes of the development of hyperkalemia (excess potassium) - to differentiate the existing disease, change the dosage of the medications taken, or completely stop taking them.

Nutrition

The attending physician develops recommendations regarding not only the medications taken by the patient, but also helps to choose healthy foods, develop a balanced menu, which will also help reduce the level of potassium concentration in the blood. At the same time, the specialist aims for the patient to consume no more than three grams of potassium per day (normally, a healthy person consumes 4 grams daily).

Diet

Fresh fruits and vegetables should be included in your daily diet

• exclusion from the diet of salt and sweeteners. These foods contain high concentrations of potassium. You should opt for dietary supplements containing magnesium;
• from cereals, preference should be given to products such as bread, pasta, rice;
• include fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet;
• from meat products it is desirable to use poultry meat, eggs.

A significant reduction in potassium in foods ensures their preparation in unsalted water.