Hyperkalemia

Hyperkalemia (high potassium) affects nearly 8% of people with kidney disease, and that number rises to one-third of patients receiving dialysis for kidney failure. Expert nephrologist Deon Middlebrook, MD, in Detroit, Michigan, specializes in diagnosing and treating people with hyperkalemia, providing comprehensive care that controls their potassium levels and keeps their kidneys healthy. If you have questions or need help with hyperkalemia symptoms, call the practice, Deon D. Middlebrook MDPC, today or connect online to request an appointment.

What is hyperkalemia?

Hyperkalemia develops when the potassium levels in your blood are too high. As an electrolyte, potassium carries the electrical charges that keep your nerves, heart, and muscles working.

Your body maintains tight control over the amount of potassium in your bloodstream, keeping its levels in a specific range. High and low levels of potassium cause serious health problems, such as severe muscle weakness and an irregular heartbeat that can lead to a heart attack.

What is the connection between kidney disease and hyperkalemia?

Kidney disease and kidney failure are the most common causes of hyperkalemia. Kidney disease stops kidneys from doing their job of filtering blood and removing excess potassium. Hyperkalemia begins because your kidneys let too much potassium return to circulation.

You may also develop high potassium if you take medications that affect kidney function or have certain health conditions, such as congestive heart failure, adrenal insufficiency, and uncontrolled diabetes.

What symptoms alert me to hyperkalemia?

You may not have symptoms until your potassium reaches a severely high level. Or your symptoms could develop so slowly that they seem unimportant. In some cases, hyperkalemia occurs suddenly and you have acute symptoms.

The symptoms of hyperkalemia include:

• Abdominal pain
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
• Tiredness or fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Muscle pain or cramps
• Chest pain
• Heart palpitations (fluttering in your chest or a pounding, irregular, or rapid heartbeat)

If you have difficulty breathing, chest pain, dizziness, or other signs of heart problems, call 911 for emergency medical care.

How is hyperkalemia treated?

Dr. Middlebrook accurately diagnoses hyperkalemia with a blood test. If you haven’t already been diagnosed with an underlying condition, he completes a thorough evaluation to see if you have kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease.

He also runs tests to determine the stage and severity of your kidney disease. You need intensive care for hyperkalemia as kidney disease advances, especially if you’re in kidney failure.

Your treatment plan may include medication and/or lifestyle changes. For example, Dr. Middlebrook may prescribe medications that bind with potassium and stop it from entering your bloodstream.

Whether or not you need medication, everyone with hyperkalemia and kidney disease should follow dietary changes to limit their potassium intake and manage their kidney health.

To learn more about hyperkalemia, call Deon D. Middlebrook MDPC or book an appointment online today.