Do you have problems with the cardiovascular system or kidneys? If the analysis showed that potassium in the blood is elevated, the causes of the ailment are covered in this. In order to clarify the diagnosis, one should not only establish the factor that caused hyperkalemia, but also analyze all medications used in the recent past.
Elevated potassium in the blood - causes and symptoms
The causes of high potassium in the blood are very often associated with various kinds of injuries and ways of treating them. Burns and frostbite, surgery and other interventions themselves provoke hyperkalemia, because they affect the level and concentration of blood in the body. In addition, the increase in potassium leads to ways to treat such conditions, for example, the infusion of large amounts of saline and blood, designed for long-term storage. There are also drugs that increase potassium:
- Heparin and potassium diuretics;
- cardiac glycosides ;
- potassium salt of penicillin;
- rapid infusion of a solution of potassium chloride;
- absence of timely insulin therapy.
Most often, hyperkalemia is manifested by paresis and a violation of the heart rhythm. In severe cases, there may be a clouding of consciousness and even a coma. Elevated potassium concentration above 5 mmol / l is considered.
Medical causes of elevated levels of potassium in the blood
There are two main directions of body disorders that cause hyperkalemia. This is an increase in the transition of potassium from intracellular to extracellular space and slowing its excretion from the body. Here are the main diseases that cause these pathologies:
- renal and adrenal insufficiency;
- occlusion of kidney vessels;
- dehydration;
- metabolic acidosis;
- shock state;
- anuria;
- diabetic coma ;
- hemolysis;
- decomposition of muscle tissue as a result of compression;
- decay of tumors.