According to a recent article, a recent study from the U.K. showed that emergency methods of managing hyperkalemia, such as the use of insulin/dextrose, are not the most effective treatments.

Hyperkalemia

Hyperkalemia is the medical term for an elevated level of potassium in the blood. Potassium is a mineral critical for the functioning of the muscles, heart, and nerves. An above-normal level of potassium can complicate and interfere with the process of electric signals in the heart, which can lead to different types of arrhythmias and other heart issues.

Symptoms:

Mild hyperkalemia can be asymptomatic, whereas more serious hyperkalemia may present symptoms like:

• Nausea
• Weak or irregular pulse
• Paraesthesia
• Muscle weakness
• Fatigue
• Tingling sensation or other unusual sensations

The Study

Hyperkalemia leads to high risks of hypoglycemia, long hospital stays due to Insulin/dextrose treatment, high risk of ICU admission. The most recommended first-line treatment for hyperkalemia is a combination of insulin and dextrose since it lowers potassium in an emergency.

The U.K. study looked at comprehensive electronic health records of emergency admissions of 11,107 patients with hyperkalemia between 2015 and 2018. 1,284 of those patients were treated with IDex. The treatment of the patients was evaluated looking at the requirement for re-treatment with insulin/dextrose, episodes of glucose dysregulation, ICU admission, and hospital stay duration.

Results

The study showed in 42.2% of patients needed multiple doses of IDex. Furthermore, 19.4% of patients who received IDex as treatment dealt with hypoglycemia within 6 hours. The study also showed that patients who required repeated doses were more at-risk for hypoglycemia compared to patients who only needed a single dose. Additionally, patients who received more than one dose of IDex, or had a stronger dose, were more likely to be admitted into the ICU.