Quickly correcting high potassium levels, a condition called hyperkalemia, in emergency department patients cuts death risk in that population by half, reports a new study.
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Rapid Correction of Hyperkalemia Reduces Mortality by Half"
‘Emergency department patients who experienced serum potassium normalization within 3 to 8 hours had half the death risk of those with persistent hyperkalemia.
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Millions of patients suffering from diabetes, heart failure, hypertension, and renal failure are at an increased risk for hyperkalemia. Many therapies to treat these conditions may also increase potassium levels.
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"Because of the increased risk of hyperkalemia in this population, it is important, as our study showed, to develop protocols that help quickly identify and correct hyperkalemia while the patient is still in the emergency department," said Dr. Singer.
Source-Eurekalert