How to Resolve Elevated Potassium Levels

Potassium is a nutrient and electrolyte that we need in our systems in order to live. Normally, potassium levels in human blood range between 3.5 and 5 milliequivalents per liter. A slight variation from that range and a person can become quite ill. A variance above 6 milliequivalents per liter can lead to organ failure and imminent death. That's why elevated potassium, known clinically as hyperkalemia, is serious and requires swift medical attention. Treatment varies widely because there are many causes. Some treatments don't specifically address the hyperkalemia but go after the root cause instead.

Instructions

• 1

  Administer a non potassium-sparing diuretic. Usually this is done intravenously by a nurse or physician. The diuretic helps flush the potassium from the blood stream so that it exits the body by urination. This is done as an emergency measure in many cases, but not those involving kidney failure.

• 2

  Perform dialysis for patients whose potassium elevation is related to their chronic kidney failure or end-stage renal disease. Potassium levels elevate when patients miss dialysis appointments or are not being dialysized frequently enough.

• 3

  Discontinue the use of medications which cause patients to retain or build up potassium. These include NSAID pain relievers such as ibuprofen and ACE inhibitors which block the hormone angiotensin II in order to treat high blood pressure and migraines.

• 4

  Give glucose (blood sugar) and insulin as needed, particularly if the patient is diabetic. Sometimes hyperkalemia occurs in patients who don't know they are diabetic and is a sentinel event which begins their diabetes treatment.

• 5

  Put the patient on a low-potassium diet. This is good in only very mild cases of hyperkalemia and requires frequent blood monitoring to ensure the potassium levels come down quickly.

• 6

  Have the patient take sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) orally or intravenously. This can help push potassium back into the cells and out of the blood stream.

• 7

  Administer drugs, such as albuterol and epinephrine, that stimulate beta-2 adrenergic receptors. Clinical studies have found these effective at reducing high potassium levels.