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Heart Specialist Warns: Too Much Potassium Can Be Fatal
22 Feb
Summary
- Excessive potassium can stop the heart's electrical system.
- Kidney disease patients are at higher risk of hyperkalemia.
- Certain heart medications increase the danger of high potassium.
A prominent US cardiologist is highlighting the life-threatening risks of hyperkalemia, a condition characterized by excessively high potassium levels in the blood. According to Dr. Evan Levine, elevated potassium can disrupt the heart's electrical activity, potentially leading to cardiac arrest.
Individuals with declining kidney function are particularly susceptible because their kidneys are less effective at removing excess potassium. This risk is further amplified by certain medications, including ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and spironolactone, which are prescribed for blood pressure and heart failure but are known to increase potassium retention.
Dr. Levine noted that the elderly are especially vulnerable. The natural aging process can impair kidney efficiency, and when combined with potassium-sparing medications, it creates a dangerous confluence of factors. Patients presenting with symptoms like weakness and lightheadedness may have dangerously high potassium levels, resulting in a significantly slowed heart rate and a risk of sudden collapse or death.
