0 a condition in which there is too much potassium in the blood, which may be caused by diuretics (= substances that increase the production of urine) having been used too often or kidney failure --
He then falsifies and plants blood work results indicating that his wife is in a state of hyperkalaemia, so she is transferred to the hospital, since he intended that.
Respiratory distress, impaired consciousness, pulmonary edema, infiltration on chest x-ray, shock, arrythmias, renal failure requiring haemodialysis, metabolic acidosis, and hyperkalaemia may occur in severe cases.
Normal cells may be exposed to hyperkalaemia; abnormal cells may be perfused by normal environment.
The management of hyperkalaemia in the older patient with renal failure is no different from that of younger individuals.
In chronic renal failure, the most common cause of hyperkalaemia is potassiumretaining drugs.
Patients taking an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor such as ramipril and the aldosterone antagonist spironolactone can develop life-threatening hyperkalaemia.
Uncontrolled hyperkalaemia, acidosis and fluid overload are usually the reasons for instituting dialysis.
Some of the drugs causing hyperkalaemia, and the mechanisms, have already been discussed.
