In this blog, we will read about the condition caused due to high potassium levels in the blood i.e Hyperkalemia .
Hyperkalemia is a medical term that describes excess potassium levels in your blood, it usually does not show any symptoms but if levels are abnormally high it can affect your heart and kidneys and may lead to certain medical conditions, Treatment includes a low potassium diet and medications that can help lower the potassium level.
What is Hyperkalemia?
Hyperkalemia refers to a condition when the potassium level in your blood is very high, Pottasium is a positive electrolyte that helps in maintaining the electrolyte balance and support and promotes overall body functioning the functions of potassium are:
- Helps in neural coordination and muscle coordination.
- Promotes cell signalling.
- It helps in controlling blood pressure.
- Helps in the movement of waste and nutrients.
- Controls Blood pressure by offsetting sodium.
Symptoms of Hyperkalemia
Mild hyperkalemia usually does not have any symptoms but in some cases, it may show some signs and symptoms at abnormally high levels can lead to acute and chronic conditions that need to be treated and managed accordingly.
Signs and Symptoms of mild Hyperkalemia are:
Dangerously high levels can lead to severe Hyperkalemia the symptoms include:
Causes Of Hyperkalemia
The most common cause of hyperkalemia is kidney disease which may be due to infection as kidney diseases affect kidney efficiency to filter out waste and it can cause an increase in blood potassium levels.
In addition to Kidney disease, the other causes that promote Hyperkalemia are:
- Potassium-rich diet or potassium supplements
- Drugs used to treat High Blood pressure can block kidneys from secreting potassium which may also lead to Hyperkalemia.
Some rare genetic disorders may cause an increase in potassium levels these are
- Pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1 (PHA1): Caused by a genetic mutation that helps your body regulate sodium causes PHA1.
- Pseudohypoaldosteronism type 2 (PHA2): A genetic mutation that helps regulate your blood pressure causes PHA2. Another name for PHA2 is Gordon’s syndrome.
Apart From This, Some Different Medical Conditions Can Increase the Risk of Hyperkalemia This Includes
- Addison’s disease.
- Alcohol use or withdrawal disorder.
- Burns over a large part of your body.
- Congestive heart failure.
- Diabetes.
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
- Chronic kidney disease or a family history of kidney disease.
- Abnormal kidney structure.
Diagnosis and Tests
Hyperkalemia does not have any symptoms which means you might not know if you have high potassium levels until you go for a serum blood test, you may also go for a Hyperkalemia package that overall checks the body for high potassium levels, there are some medications available that can lower the potassium levels as well.
A potassium level above 6.5mmol/L shows a critical situation that requires immediate diagnosis and treatment.
Some other Blood tests that are available to treat the condition are
Other tests include
- Electrocardiogram(EKG): It is a procedure that uses electrodes to check for abnormal heart rhythm as hyperkalemia can cause abnormal heart rhythm.
Management and Treatment
Hyperkalemia can be managed through certain dietary and lifestyle modifications that can naturally lower the potassium level in the blood and prevent various diseases associated with Hyperkalemia, Some of the lifestyle and dietary changes include
- Regular exercise: Do regular exercise as it maintains the potassium balance, improves metabolism and kidney functioning and helps reduce the buildup of excess potassium levels. Regularly do exercises like brisk walking, aerobic exercise or swimming which help keep your kidney and heart healthy and improve overall health.
- Weight Management: Keep yourself active and avoid a sedentary lifestyle, eat a low potassium-rich diet that prevents potassium from increasing and has a positive effect on your heart health, so include such foods in your diet that help normalise potassium levels and help maintain body weight.
- Avoid a potassium-rich diet: If you have Hyperkalemia avoid a diet that has a high content of potassium this includes meats like chicken and turkey, Dry fruits such as nuts, soda, beans, lentils, and some dry vegetables like beans, peas etc.
- Avoid tobacco and alcohol consumption: Avoid bad habits like smoking, drinking alcohol and consuming tobacco as it may elevate potassium level levels and increase the chances of potassium deficiency disorders.
Some medications are also available that can lower the potassium level this includes
- Diuretics: This will help you by eliminating excess sodium and potassium through pee which makes you pee often.
- Pottasium Binders: This helps to lower the potassium level by attaching extra potassium to your stool this is an alternative treatment when no other treatment lowers the potassium level.
- Intravenous(IV) therapy: This Therapy is given only when there is an extremely low potassium level in the blood in this an IV infusion of calcium gluconate is given through one of the veins and on other days insulin is given that helps move potassium into the blood cells.
- Dialysis: It helps lower the excess potassium if you have kidney failure (a condition in which kidneys are completely dead and inefficient to filter out waste from the body)
Choose the Top Diagnostic Centre in Delhi
Ganesh Diagnostic is one of the most reputed diagnostic centres located in Delhi which provides a 24*7*365-day facility, all the test results here are 100% accurate so that patients get the best and right treatment to recover easily. Avail of the online appointment opportunity now.
We also provide free blood sample collection and cholesterol tests at home. Get tested at the best diagnostic centre with Ganesh Diagnostics.
A Note From Ganesh Diagnostic
Hyperkalemia is a potentially dangerous condition that has severe effects on our bodies as abnormally high levels of potassium in our body can increase the chances of chronic conditions like heart palpitations, neural disabilities etc to avoid this adopt a good healthy lifestyle that can naturally lower your potassium level and if you want to know your potassium level gets tested and treated well from the top diagnostic centre near you.
FAQs
What can I expect during Hyperkalemia?
You can adopt a good and healthy lifestyle that naturally lowers your potassium level and in other conditions, you may take certain medications that lower potassium levels take suggestions from your doctor and get treated well
What are the effects of Hyperkalemia?
This condition can increase the risk of heart palpitations, muscle weakness brain and heart disease if not diagnosed and treated early, Improving your lifestyle will help manage this condition.
How to manage Hyperkalemia?
- Regular Exercise.
- Stop smoking and drinking.
- Get quality sleep.
- Manage your stress level.
- Eat a low-potassium-rich diet.
- Maintain healthy body weight.
