Hyperkalemia is a condition where you have too much potassium in your blood. Most potassium in the body (98 percent) is found within cells and organs. Only a small amount usually circulates in the bloodstream. Potassium helps nerve and muscle cells, including the heart, function properly. Your kidneys usually maintain levels of potassium in the blood, but if you have kidney disease -- the most common cause of hyperkalemia -- potassium levels can build up. Medications or diet may also affect the amount of potassium in the blood. Hyperkalemia can be life-threatening and must be treated promptly.

Sometimes hyperkalemia has no symptoms. Other times you may experience the following:

• Irregular heartbeat
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Tingling, numbness, or other unusual sensations
• Paralysis
• Difficulty breathing

Hyperkalemia has many causes, including the following:

• Kidney disease
• Too much acid in the blood, as is sometimes seen in diabetes
• Diet high in potassium (bananas, oranges, tomatoes, high protein diets, salt substitutes, potassium supplements)
• Trauma, especially crush injuries or burns
• Addison's disease
• Certain medications

You may not be feeling any effects of hyperkalemia. Your health care provider may discover it during a routine blood test or electrocardiogram. Hyperkalemia can cause life-threatening complications without warning. If you experience symptoms of hyperkalemia, you should call 911 or get to an emergency room. If you have severe hyperkalemia, you will be admitted to the hospital to stabilize your condition and for further tests. You will be given medications to take care of the immediate problem, but more tests may be needed to determine the underlying cause. If the medications don't lower the potassium level in your blood, dialysis may be recommended.

The medications that treat hyperkalemia are meant to stabilize heart function, promote the movement of potassium from the bloodstream back into the cells, and encourage the excretion of excess potassium.

Drug Therapies

• Insulin -- promotes potassium shift from blood to cells
• Sodium bicarbonate -- promotes potassium shift from blood to cells
• Beta agonists -- promote potassium shift from blood to cells
• Diuretics -- cause potassium excretion from kidneys
• Binding resins -- promote potassium and sodium exchange in the gastrointestinal system

Complementary and Alternative Therapies

Alternative therapies can provide concurrent support and in treatment of the underlying cause once your condition has been stabilized. Make sure your medical providers are informed of any alternative therapies or supplements you may be using.

Nutrition

• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, refined foods, sugar, and saturated fats (meat proteins and dairy products). Eliminate high-potassium foods, such as bananas, lentils, nuts, peaches, potatoes, salmon, tomatoes, watermelon.
• Drink more water. Dehydration can make hyperkalemia worse.
• Eat small amounts of protein and more vegetable proteins and fish than chicken and red meats.
• Avoid noni juice, which is high in potassium.

Herbs

Herbs are generally a safe way to strengthen and tone the body's systems. As with any therapy, you should work with your health care provider to get your problem diagnosed before starting any treatment. You may use herbs as dried extracts (capsules, powders, teas), glycerites (glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts). Unless otherwise indicated, you should make teas with 1 tsp. herb per cup of hot water. Steep covered 5 - 10 minutes for leaf or flowers, and 10 - 20 minutes for roots. Drink 2 - 4 cups per day. You may use tinctures alone or in combination as noted.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra, 150 mg per day) may be helpful in decreasing potassium levels, but should not be used without a doctor's supervision so that your potassium levels can be monitored and you can be checked for side effects. Do not take licorice if you have high blood pressure or heart failure.

Avoid these herbs, as they can increase potassium levels:

• Alfalfa (Medicagosativa )
• Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
• Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
• Nettle (Urtica dioca)

Also avoid herbs such as the following ones with digoxin-like properties, which can boost potassium levels in some people:

• Milkweed (Apocynum cannabinum)
• Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)
• Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
• Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
• Foxglove (Digitalis pupurea)

Homeopathy

Homeopathy may be useful as a supportive therapy.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture may help support normal kidney function.

Massage

Swedish massage may help to stimulate the kidneys.

Your health care provider will probably ask to see you 2 or 3 days after you are discharged from the hospital, to repeat the potassium tests, electrocardiogram, and check your kidney function. Your health care provider will review all the medications you are taking, and perhaps recommend a change.

If you are on regular dialysis, make sure you keep strictly to your schedule to avoid hyperkalemia and other serious problems.

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