Overview
Overview
Hyperkalemia becomes immediately dangerous when excess extracellular potassium disrupts myocardial conduction.
Hyperkalemia becomes immediately dangerous when excess extracellular potassium disrupts myocardial conduction. A patient may be awake and speaking normally while the ECG is progressing toward a lethal dysrhythmia. The bedside sequence is therefore more than lowering the potassium value: identify ECG toxicity, protect the myocardium with IV calcium, shift potassium into cells, remove potassium from the body, and reassess for recurrence.