How Do You Know if Your Body Is Retaining Too Much Potassium

Vi Steps to Controlling High Potassium

February 25, 2016, 4:33pm EST

Anybody needs potassium. It is an of import nutrient that helps continue your heart healthy and your muscles working right. Merely did you know that likewise much potassium can be dangerous, especially if yous take kidney illness? It can cause a condition called "hyperkalemia." The skilful news? There are steps you can take to assistance go along your potassium levels within normal range. If you think you are at risk for hyperkalemia, speak with your physician on ways to lower your potassium levels. Additionally, beneath are some things you demand to know.

Who is at risk?

Although your trunk needs potassium, having too much in your blood can be harmful. It can lead to serious heart problems. Having too much potassium in your trunk is chosen "hyperkalemia." You may be at risk for hyperkalemia if you:

• Have kidney disease. Information technology is the job of your kidneys to go on the correct amount of potassium in your body. If there is too much, salubrious kidneys will filter out the extra potassium, and remove information technology from your body through urine. Yet, when kidneys practice not piece of work well, they may not be able to remove enough potassium. This means that potassium can build up in your claret to harmful levels.
• Eat a diet high in potassium. Eating too much food that is loftier in potassium tin can likewise cause hyperkalemia, peculiarly in people with avant-garde kidney disease. Foods such as melons, orange juice, and bananas are high in potassium.
• Take certain drugs that prevent the kidneys from losing plenty potassium. Some drugs tin can keep your kidneys from removing enough potassium. This tin crusade your potassium levels to rise. Talk over all medicines that you take with your doctor. Do not stop taking any medicine on your ain.
• Taking extra potassium, such as a table salt substitute or certain supplements.
• Have a disorder called "Addison's disease," which tin occur if your trunk does not make enough of certain hormones. Hormones are chemicals produced past different glands and organs, including the kidneys, to trigger certain responses in your body.
• Accept poorly controlled diabetes.
• Experience a serious injury or severe burn.

How do I know if I have high potassium?

A simple blood examination can discover the level of potassium in your blood. If you are at risk, be sure you enquire your healthcare provider almost a blood test for potassium.

Many people with high potassium take few, if any, symptoms. If symptoms practise announced, they are ordinarily balmy and non-specific. You may feel some muscle weakness, numbness, tingling, nausea, or other unusual feelings. Loftier potassium usually develops slowly over many weeks or months, and is most often mild. It tin recur. For most people, the level of potassium in your blood should be between three.5 and 5.0, depending on the laboratory that is used.

If high potassium happens suddenly and you have very loftier levels, you lot may feel heart palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, or airsickness. This is a life-threatening condition that requires firsthand medical care. If yous have these symptoms, call 911 or go to the emergency room.

There are options

That's the adept news! If you have high potassium – or are at risk for getting information technology – speak to your doctor near the various options you lot have to manage your potassium levels. It's important you tell your doctor about all the medicines you are taking including over-the-counter drugs, herbals and supplements. To help go along your potassium levels within normal range, your doctor may recommend the following:

• Following a low-potassium diet, if needed. Eating as well much food that is high in potassium can cause bug in some people, especially in people with kidney disease. Enquire your healthcare provider or dietitian how much potassium is right for y'all. Eating also much can be harmful, but having too little tin can crusade problems, too. Some people may need a little more than; others may need less.
• Attempt fugitive certain table salt substitutes. Certain table salt substitutes are high in potassium. Virtually people with kidney disease should not use them.
• Avoiding herbal remedies or supplements. They may have ingredients that can raise potassium levels. In full general, people with kidney disease should non take herbal supplements. If you accept any questions about them, ask your healthcare provider.
• Taking water pills or potassium binders, every bit directed by your healthcare provider. Some people may also need medicine to help remove extra potassium from the body and keep it from coming dorsum. This may include:
  • H2o pills (diuretics) help rid your trunk of extra potassium. They piece of work by making your kidney create more than urine. Potassium is normally removed through urine.
  • Potassium binders often come in the class of a powder. They are mixed with a minor amount of water and taken with food. When swallowed, they "demark" to the extra potassium in the bowels and remove it. You must follow the instructions advisedly when taking potassium binders. For example, potassium binders may interfere with how other drugs work if you take them at the same time. Potassium binders are not for use in children.
• Following your treatment plan advisedly if y'all have diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, or whatsoever other serious condition. Following your treatment programme will assistance you keep your potassium levels in the healthy range.

To learn more about hyperkalemia, download our brochure "Your Kidneys and Hyperkalemia: Are You At Gamble?"

This article has been sponsored and adult in collaboration with Relypsa, Inc.

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Source: https://www.kidney.org/content/six-steps-control-high-potassium

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