what does too much potassium do to your body

Hyperkalemia (High Potassium)

People with hyperkalemia have loftier potassium levels in their claret. Signs like fatigue and muscle weakness are easy to dismiss. A depression-potassium diet and medication changes often bring potassium numbers to a safe level. An extremely high potassium level tin can cause a center assail and requires immediate medical care.

Overview

What is hyperkalemia (high potassium)?

Hyperkalemia occurs when potassium levels in your blood go too high. Potassium is an essential food found in foods. This nutrient helps your nerves and muscles function. Merely likewise much potassium in your blood can damage your heart and cause a heart attack. You can't ever tell when your potassium levels are high.

What is a safe or normal potassium level?

A typical potassium level for an adult falls betwixt 3.5 and 5.0 millimoles per liter (mmol/Fifty). Hyperkalemia occurs when levels get above five.5 mmol/Fifty. A reading above 6.5 mmol/Fifty can cause heart problems that require immediate medical attention.

Who might take hyperkalemia (high potassium)?

Anyone can get hyperkalemia, even children. You may be more at risk if you have:

Addison's disease.
Alcohol use disorder (alcoholism).
Burns over a large role of your body.
Congestive middle failure.
Diabetes.
Man immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Kidney disease.

Symptoms and Causes

What causes hyperkalemia (high potassium)?

Your kidneys filter potassium from the foods and drinks yous eat. Your body gets rid of excess potassium when you pee. With hyperkalemia, your body has too much potassium for your kidneys to remove. As a result, potassium builds upwards in your claret.

In addition to weather like kidney disease, these factors likewise contribute to hyperkalemia:

A loftier-potassium diet, which can consequence from potassium supplements and salt substitutes.
Medications that contain potassium, such as certain high claret pressure medicines.

What are the symptoms of hyperkalemia (loftier potassium)?

Many people with mild hyperkalemia take no signs or ones that are easy to dismiss. Symptoms ofttimes come and go and may come on gradually over weeks or months. Dangerously loftier potassium levels affect the middle and cause a sudden onset of life-threatening issues. Hyperkalemia symptoms include:

Abdominal (belly) pain and diarrhea.
Breast pain.
Heart palpitations or arrhythmia (irregular, fast or fluttering heartbeat).
Muscle weakness or numbness in limbs.
Nausea and vomiting.

Diagnosis and Tests

How is hyperkalemia (high potassium) diagnosed?

Because most people don't have symptoms, you might not know you have loftier potassium until you go a routine claret test. A serum potassium test measures potassium levels in blood. Your healthcare provider may also guild an electrocardiogram (EKG). This test shows changes in heart rhythm caused by hyperkalemia.

Direction and Treatment

What are the complications of hyperkalemia (loftier potassium)?

Severe hyperkalemia can come on suddenly. It can cause life-threatening heart rhythm changes (arrhythmia) that cause a middle attack. Even balmy hyperkalemia can damage your heart over time if you don't get handling.

How is hyperkalemia (high potassium) managed or treated?

Treatment varies depending on the potassium level. Options include:

Diuretics: Also called h2o pills, these drugs make you pee more often. Your body gets rid of potassium mainly in urine.
Intravenous (IV) therapy: Extremely high potassium levels need immediate treatment. You'll receive an Iv infusion of calcium to protect your heart. Next, y'all become an infusion of insulin that helps move potassium into the blood cells. You may also inhale an asthma medication called albuterol to further lower potassium levels.
Medication direction: Many people come across improvement after stopping or irresolute certain blood pressure medications or other drugs that raise potassium levels. Your healthcare provider can decide what medication changes to brand.
Potassium binders: A daily medication binds to backlog potassium in the intestines. You lot pass the potassium when you poop. Your provider may recommend binders if other treatments don't lower potassium levels. Potassium binders come in oral and enema form.
Dialysis: If potassium levels remain high, or you experience kidney failure, you may demand dialysis. This treatment helps your kidneys remove backlog potassium from blood.

Prevention

How can I foreclose hyperkalemia (high potassium)?

If you lot've had hyperkalemia or are at risk for it, a low-potassium nutrition is the all-time style to protect your health. You may need to cut back on, or completely cut out, certain high-potassium foods, such equally:

Asparagus.
Avocados.
Bananas.
Citrus fruits and juices, such every bit oranges and grapefruit.
Cooked spinach.
Melons like honeydew and cantaloupe.
Nectarines.
Potatoes.
Prunes, raisins and other dried fruits.
Pumpkin and winter squash.
Salt substitutes that comprise potassium.
Tomatoes and love apple-based products like sauces and ketchup.

Outlook / Prognosis

What is the prognosis (outlook) for people who take hyperkalemia (high potassium)?

Changes to your diet and medication often resolve mild cases of hyperkalemia. With the right intendance, most people don't have long-term complications from hyperkalemia. Your healthcare provider may society more frequent blood tests to ensure your potassium levels stay within a healthy range.

Living With

When should I call the doctor?

Yous should call your healthcare provider if you experience:

Difficulty animate.
Farthermost musculus weakness or fatigue.
Astringent abdominal pain, vomiting or diarrhea.
Weak pulse, breast pain or signs of a centre attack.

What questions should I inquire my doctor?

If you have hyperkalemia (loftier potassium), you may want to ask your healthcare provider:

Why did I go hyperkalemia?
How often should I get blood tests to check for hyperkalemia?
How much potassium should I get in my daily diet?
What foods or supplements should I avoid?
What, if whatsoever, salt substitutes can I use?
What are the handling risks and side effects?
Am I at chance for kidney failure or other problems due to hyperkalemia?
What follow-upwardly care do I demand after treatment?
Should I await out for signs of complications?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Considering hyperkalemia rarely causes symptoms, you may be surprised when a claret test shows that your potassium levels are high. A low-potassium nutrition tin protect your health. Your healthcare provider can determine how much potassium you need or connect y'all with a dietitian, if needed. A dietitian can help you create repast plans that ensure yous get simply the right amount of potassium in your diet. Your provider may also change your medications. Potassium levels that reach a dangerously high level can exist life-threatening. If you're at risk for hyperkalemia, your provider will closely monitor your potassium levels.

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Source: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15184-hyperkalemia-high-blood-potassium#:~:text=Hyperkalemia%20occurs%20when%20potassium%20levels,and%20cause%20a%20heart%20attack.