Hyperkalemia

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Circulatory system

High potassium; Potassium - high

Hyperkalemia often has no symptoms. Occasionally, people may have the following symptoms:

• Irregular heartbeat
• Nausea
• Slow, weak, or absent pulse

• ECG may show changes related to hyperkalemia
• ECG may show potentially dangerous arrhythmias:
  • Heart block that may become a complete heart block
  • Slower than normal heartbeat (bradycardia) that progressively slows
  • Ventricular fibrillation
• Pulse may be slow or irregular
• Serum potassium is high

Review Date: 11/15/2009
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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