At the end of last year, the FDA warned people with hyperkalemia to monitor their diets when it comes to potassium intake. According to an article from the Taipei Times, high levels of potassium could lead to dysrhythmia for hyperkalemia patients.

About Hyperkalemia

First off, it’s important to understand what hyperkalemia is. It is a term reserved for patients who have elevated levels of potassium in their blood, which can impact electric signaling in the heart. In mild cases, this may not cause any symptoms; however, severe cases see symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, muscle weakness, paraesthesia, tingling/unusual sensations, and weak/irregular pulse. There are a number of causes that can lead to hyperkalemia, all related to the kidneys and their function. A few are kidney disease, severe injuries, Type 1 diabetes, and Addison’s disease. What these all have in common is their impact on the kidneys’ ability to function or remove potassium. In terms of treatment, options include dialysis, sodium bicarbonate, a diet low in potassium, cation-exchange resins, medications, and IV administration of glucose, calcium, or insulin.

Potassium and Hyperkalemia

Because people with hyperkalemia are already living with increased levels of potassium – 5mEq/L is the threshold for one to be considered hyperkalemic – it is recommended that they avoid potassium in their diets. If not, they are at risk of dysrhythmia, weakness, and dizziness.

Specifically, the federal agency warned patients to stay away from dates, raisins, dried meats, amaranth, dried persimmons, jujubees, dried kombu, straw mushrooms, low sodium salt, and Madeira vine.

Instead, the FDA offered other methods of treating hyperkalemia. They began by acknowledging that different causes warrant different treatments, before moving on to how to avoid dysrhythmia: insulin injections. This lowers the concentration of potassium in the blood.

Other treatment methods include:

• Calcium gluconate injections
• Sugar
  • This helps to avoid hypoglycemia
• Diuretics
• Dialysis
• Cation-exchange resin therapy

Overall, it is important that hyperkalemia patients monitor their diet to ensure that they’re not ingesting high levels of potassium.