High Potassium (Hyperkalemia)
High potassium symptoms often go unnoticed unless levels are very elevated. Potassium plays an important role in heart and neuromuscular function. High potassium, or hyperkalemia, can affect the heart, nerves, and muscles.
Severe hyperkalemia causes symptoms including chest pain, vomiting, weakness, breathing issues, cardiac arrest, paralysis, and palpitations. These symptoms warrant an immediate visit with a medical professional or your healthcare provider.1
This article discusses high potassium symptoms. It explains the neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and GI symptoms of hyperkalemia and when to see a healthcare provider.
High potassium blood levels can disrupt the way certain organ systems function. It does not always cause symptoms, though it can become fatal if left untreated.
Normally, there is more potassium inside and more sodium outside of any given cell. This gradient of electrolytes helps to drive the sodium-potassium ATPase pump that is needed to set off an action potential—a rapid change in charge across the membrane of a neuron.
When too much potassium is outside of a cell, the action potential can be slower to trigger or may not occur at all.
Because hyperkalemia can become quite dangerous, elevated potassium levels must be taken seriously, even if they are not yet producing any symptoms.
High potassium levels alter a neuron’s action potential. As a result, a nerve cannot generate an impulse.
Common neurologic symptoms of hyperkalemia can include:2
- Decreased reflexes
- Tingling
- Numbness (rare)
Nerves stimulate muscle fibers to contract. When the action potential is altered, muscle functioning can be affected.
Skeletal muscles, also called striated muscles, are the muscles that are attached to your bones. They allow you to move your arms, legs, and other body parts. A muscle that does not receive nerve impulses can have difficulty contracting or become weak.
Musculoskeletal symptoms of hyperkalemia can include:3
- Muscle weakness
- Paralysis (rare)
The GI tract is lined with smooth muscle tissue. This propels food from your esophagus all the way through the colon in a process known as peristalsis.
When potassium levels are high, smooth muscle contractions may be too weak to coordinate that forward movement through the GI tract. This can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, including:4
- Abdominal gas and bloating
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting (rare)
High potassium levels can affect heart contractions. Potassium and sodium regulate electrical signals in the heart’s muscle, called the myocardium.
When the potassium level is too high, it can interfere with electrical signaling. The delayed firing of action potentials can cause a slow heart rate. In addition, heart contractions may not be forceful enough to pump enough blood out of the heart to the brain and other organs.5
Cardiac symptoms of hyperkalemia can include:4
- Cardiac arrest (rare)
- Chest pain
- Heart palpitations (skipped beats)
- Irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia)
- Slow heart rate
Most people do not develop symptoms of hyperkalemia until their potassium level is above 7.0 mEq/L.6 If you develop any of the symptoms above, especially across different body systems, you could have very high levels of potassium.
You are encouraged to be proactive and contact your healthcare provider for an evaluation. Most of the time, hyperkalemia is found incidentally on blood work. In that case, your healthcare provider is likely to repeat your labs and follow up with any necessary testing.
References
Symptoms of High Potassium (Hyperkalemia), very well health, www.verywellhealth.com/signs-and-symptoms-of-hyperkalemia-4160468
Ad
Women have unique health issues. And some of the health issues that affect both men and women can affect women differently.
Book your appointment TODAY!
Search on the closest Doctor to your location and book based on specialty. EARN 10 POINTS more with CuraPOINT.
BOOK