Excessive levels of blood potassium can be dangerous, doctors said yesterday ahead of World Hyperkalemia Day on Friday, calling on people to get tested regularly and treated immediately if problems are diagnosed.
Excessive blood potassium often shows no obvious symptoms, but can be fatal, Taiwan Society of Nephrology secretary-general Fang Te-chao (方德昭) said, adding that the condition often affects elderly people.
The warning signs are a numbness in the extremities, feelings of weakness, which, if left untreated, can swiftly lead to death by renal failure, Fang said.
Photo: Lo Pi, Taipei Times
In some acute cases, patients have experienced an altered state of consciousness, he said.
Regular check-ups are the primary mechanism to prevent severe complications from the condition, he said, adding that normal blood potassium levels range from 3.5 to 5.0 millimoles per liter (mmol/L).
Seeking treatment immediately is advised for people whose readings exceed the upper bounds of the normal value range, Fang said.
The dangerous health effects of high blood potassium levels can strike suddenly and repeatedly, he said.
Long-term health management is the appropriate strategy for people to protect themselves, rather than fighting recurring medical emergencies, Fang said.
Lin Shih-hua (林石化), a nephrologist at Tri-Service General Hospital, said that medical interventions including electrocardiography and regular monitoring are recommended for people with high blood potassium levels.
Studies show that the condition increases the chances of heart arrhythmia by 59 percent, while people with blood potassium levels exceeding 6.5mmol/L have a ninefold increase in the rate of sudden heart failure, Lin said.
Abnormally high potassium levels are common among people with chronic kidney diseases such as diabetes, those undergoing dialysis, and people taking renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors or potassium-sparing diuretics, he said.
Yang Ju-yeh (楊如燁), a nephrologist at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, said that diet, monitoring and medicine are the key mechanisms to regulate blood potassium levels, with diet the foundational aspect.
Boiling vegetables for three to five minutes can halve their potassium content due to the solubility of the substance, Yang said.
Pickles, raw or dried foods and salty soups should be avoided, she said.
Low-salt soy sauces, which have become a wellness fad, could do more harm than good in some cases by replacing sodium with potassium, she said.
People with high potassium levels should be careful about using nutritional supplements and essences as they are often high in potassium due to being concentrated, she said.
Constipation could exacerbate high blood potassium levels, as the substance is absorbed in the intestinal tract, Yang said.
People with high potassium concentrations should limit their daily intake of the substance to under 2,000mg and eat no more than two servings of fruit a day, she said.
They should discuss with their doctor using prescription drugs if regulating their diet proves ineffective, she said.
New potassium binder medicines are significantly more potent and cause fewer side effects, making them an attractive option for reducing the risks of long-term illness, hospitalization and dependency on dialysis, she said.
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