The composition of the blood is very diverse. It contains many substances that are responsible for carrying out certain processes in the body. It is very important to maintain a constant ionic composition of the blood. After all, only in this state can cellular reactions proceed correctly. A special role among the ions belongs to potassium. The trace element ensures the normal functioning of the heart. It is involved in biochemical processes in the brain and certain organs of the digestive tract. All of these systems can fail if there is elevated potassium in the blood. The reasons for this condition require detailed study.
The role of potassium in the body
This microelement contained in cells is responsible for many processes occurring in the body. It regulates the water balance, normalizes the heart rhythm. In addition, potassium affects the functioning of most cells, especially muscle and nerve cells.
This microelement stimulates mental clarity, helps the body get rid of toxins and toxins, improves brain oxygenation. The effect of potassium is similar to that of immunomodulators. The trace element effectively helps fight allergies and helps to lower blood pressure.
Thus, the role of potassium for the body is as follows:
- Regulation of acid-base balance in the blood, water balance of cellular and intercellular fluid, water-s alt balance, osmotic pressure.
- Transmission of nerve impulses.
- Activation of certain enzymes, carbohydrate and protein metabolism.
- Ensuring a normal heart rate.
- Protein synthesis, converting glucose into glycogen.
- Ensuring the normalization of the kidneys (excretory function).
- Improve bowel activity.
- Normal pressure support.
Given all this, it is very important to understand what are hidden, if elevated potassium in the blood is diagnosed, the causes of this phenomenon. But before understanding the sources of pathology, one more important issue should be touched upon.
What is the danger of an increased level?
The content of trace elements in the body depends entirely on processes such as:
- potassium intake with food;
- its distribution in the body;
- microelement output.
In the human body for potassiumno "depot" provided. Therefore, any deviation from the required level can provoke a variety of violations. Let's figure out why the potassium in the blood is increased or decreased, and what is its norm.
Initially, consider what trace element content is considered acceptable.
| Age of a person | Norm of potassium in blood plasma (mmol/l) |
| Baby under 1 year old | 4, 1–5, 3 |
| Child 1-14 years old | 3, 4-4, 7 |
| Patients aged 14+ | 3, 5-5, 5 |
For a person, both a deficiency and an excess of potassium are dangerous. Potassium in the blood is increased if the analysis shows the content of the trace element in the plasma exceeding 5.5. In this case, the patient is diagnosed with hyperkalemia.
Depending on the amount of "excess" potassium, the patient may develop:
- Paralysis of muscle tissues. The condition may be temporary. General weakness accompanies it.
- Irregular heart rhythm. The patient may develop ventricular paroxysmal tachycardia and other equally unpleasant conditions. Some of them can even lead to death.
- Impaired respiratory function, up to stop.
False reasons for the increase
So, why can there be increased potassium in the blood? The reasons for this state are either true or false. We will talk about the former later. Now consider what factors can show false hyperkalemia. All of them are associated with impaired blood sampling technique.
Test may show elevated potassium if:
- the shoulder was compressed with a tourniquet for a long time (more than 2-3 minutes);
- biological material not properly stored;
- blood sampling occurred after the introduction of potassium preparations into the body;
- a vein was injured during analysis;
- the patient has an elevated level of leukocytes, platelets.
If the doctor doubts the results of the study, the patient is recommended to take a second analysis.
Main reasons
Now let's move on to the true sources, in which there is an increased level of potassium in the blood. The reasons may lie in the influence of external factors or be the result of internal pathologies.
Often sources of hyperkalemia are:
- Excessive abuse of foods high in potassium. Foods such as nuts, cauliflower, dried fruits, mushrooms, molasses, bananas increase the trace element in blood plasma. However, a pathological condition can develop only if the patient has a violation of the kidneys, in particular the excretory function.
- Significant excretion of potassium from cells. Such a redistribution of ions can be dictated by various disorders in the body. Most often, this symptomatology manifests itself with a low content of insulin, increasedglucose concentration, acidosis (acidification of the interstitial fluid). Failure of metabolic processes, in which potassium increases in the interstitial fluid, can be observed during the decay of tumor formations, extensive burns, massive damage to muscle fibers.
- Low urinary excretion. The main reason for this condition is the pathology of the kidneys, in which an insufficiency of the excretory function is diagnosed. An unpleasant phenomenon can be dictated by some other diseases. Often, hyperkalemia occurs against the background of adrenal insufficiency, diabetic nephropathy, systemic ailments (such as lupus erythematosus, amyloidosis).
Medication causes
There is another source, as a result of which doctors say that potassium in the blood is increased. The causes of this condition may be hidden in the use of certain medications. You should be aware that some drugs often lead to quite unpleasant symptoms.
Hyperkalemia can be provoked by:
- NSAIDs.
- Potassium-sparing diuretics: Triamterene, Spironoloctone.
- Substances with a high concentration of cations. These are a variety of herbal preparations from nettle, milkweed, dandelions.
- Drugs that can disrupt the transport of potassium across the cell membrane. Such drugs are cardiac glycosides, beta-blockers, the drug "Mannitol".
- Means that reduce the release of aldosterone. These are antifungal drugsACE blockers, the drug "Heparin".
Characteristic symptoms
Only a doctor can correctly determine the causes of high plasma potassium. But the patient himself must pay attention to the clues that the body signals about the problem.
When hyperkalemia, the patient has the following symptoms:
- hyperactivity, irritability, excitability, anxiety, profuse sweating;
- degenerative musculoskeletal disorders, muscle weakness is manifested;
- arrhythmia, neurocirculatory dystonia occurs;
- muscle paralysis is observed;
- disturbed bowel function, the patient suffers from colic;
- an urination disorder appears (we are talking about an increase in the process).
Diagnostic Methods
It is possible to detect an increased content of potassium in the blood only with the help of laboratory tests.
To make a diagnosis, patients are prescribed the following tests:
- Blood donation. The norm is the content of 3, 5-5, 5 mmol / l in the blood serum. In the presence of pathology, the content of the cation is increased.
- Urine analysis. Allows you to diagnose the concentration of potassium excreted from the body.
- EKG. Pathology is indicated by an increased amplitude of the T wave, an elongated ventricular complex.
Treatment of pathology
Remember, this is a fairly serious condition if the patient has elevated potassium in the blood. The causes and treatment of the disease will be able to adequately interpretspecialist only.
In addition, a severe course of hyperkalemia can lead, as mentioned above, to dangerous conditions for a person: respiratory or cardiac arrest. That is why treatment begins as soon as the patient is diagnosed.
Therapy includes the following activities:
- Intravenous administration of potassium antagonists. Strictly controlling cardiac activity, the doctor prescribes Calcium Gluconate.
- Redistribution of the cation inside the cells. As a result, its concentration in the blood decreases. For such purposes, drugs are administered intravenously: "Insulin" and "Glucose".
- Ensuring the normal excretion of potassium from the body with urine. Thiazide diuretics such as the drug Furosemide are recommended.
- Dialysis. With the help of a special apparatus, they purify the blood. A similar event is prescribed for severe illness.
- Laxative drugs, ion exchange resins. These funds are aimed at retaining the cation in the intestines and removing it with feces.
- Betta mimetics. The drug "Salbutamol" stimulates the movement of potassium into cells.
Important recommendation
However, remember: it is important to establish the true, if elevated potassium in the blood is diagnosed, the causes of this condition. After all, it is necessary to deal with the underlying disease, and not with its symptoms. If the disease is provoked by taking medications, then the doctor will reduce the dosage or completely cancel the drug,causing pathology. In addition, patients are recommended dietary nutrition, which implies the exclusion of food containing a high concentration of the cation.
