Having High Potassium in the Human Body: the Meaning of Hyperkalemia and Some Whys

Sometimes patients are referred to the kidney doctor for high or low potassium levels. Today we are going to discuss the meaning of elevated potassium levels in the body. First, we will discuss numbers to get everyone on the same page. These are the ones you see on the printout the doctor's office gives you, in the electronic medical record, and the ones the nurse or medical assistant calls you with:

• Normal potassium or normokalemia is defined as 3.5-5.0 milliEquivalents per liter (mEq/L).
• Mildly elevated potassium or hyperkalemia is defined as 5.1 to 6.
• Moderately elevated hyperkalemia is greater than 6.
• And severely high potassium is above 7 milliequivalent per liter.

The Kidney Biopsy in a Nutshell

Figure: kidney biopsy demonstrating a condition called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (abbreviated fsgs) in a patient who was spilling grams of protein in her urine. The picture shows a glomerulus, or filter, of the kidney. There is scarring of the filter at 3 o'clock.

Your nephrologist may tell you that you need to have a kidney biopsy to help figure out why your kidneys are failing. The purpose of the procedure is to diagnose the cause of the kidney disease and determine the appropriate treatment.

Some examples of people who might need a biopsy of their kidneys include:

Use Caution When Reading Medical Blogs for Medical Truth

"If it is published (or in print), it must be true."

I received an email from a primary care provider asking me about a YouTube video I made years ago regarding the topic of aquapheresis to remove excess fluid in patients with heart failure. The provider wanted to offer this modality of care to her patient to help remove the excess fluid the patient was carrying in her legs. The patient found the video after Google searching for ways to remove fluid when diuretics failed -- so-called diuretic resistance.

My response was guarded. Although at the time aquapheresis was a great way to remove 50 pounds of fluid from a patient without affecting kidney function, it turned out, after a trial was performed, there was no difference using aquapheresis compared with diuretics (water pills). Why was there no difference? Patients ended up regaining the fluid lost during the expensive, invasive procedure. I wrote back that the best approach was to consult nephrology, and we could go through possible causes and suggested treatment options.

Rated as one of the Best Kidney Doctors in Nebraska!

The overall average patient rating of Dr. Michael L. Aaronson is outstanding at 5 stars.

About Dr. Aaronson:

Dr. Michael L. Aaronson, MD, is a doctor primarily located in Lincoln, NE. He has over 22 years of experience. His specialties include Nephrology. Dr. Aaronson is affiliated with Lincoln Nephrology and Hypertension. He speaks English.

Dr. Michael L. Aaronson's Lincoln Nephrology and Hypertension Webpage Now Live!

Check out Dr. Michael Aaronson's page on the Lincoln Nephrology and Hypertension website!