Hyperkalemia in the elderly

Aldosferone Responses to Hyperkalemia in Healthy Elderly

Plasma aldosterone levels are reported to be lower in healthy elderly individuals compared with young individuals, a difference exaggerated by sodium depletion or upright posture. The aim of this study was to determine the aldosterone response to increases in serum potassium with advancing age. In the Clinical Research Center, six healthy young (20 to 35 yr of age) and six healthy elderly (65 t...

Hyperkalemia in the Hypertensive Patient.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Hyperkalemia develops in a patient with systemic arterial hypertension (HTN) if one or more risk factors are present, namely chronic kidney disease (CKD) (especially severe stage 4-5 CKD), diabetes mellitus (DM), heart failure (HF), or pharmacological therapies that interfere with potassium homeostasis, mainly through renin-angiotensin-aldosterone inhibition (RAASi). Hyperkale...

Iatrogenic hyperkalemia as a serious problem in therapy of cardiovascular diseases in elderly patients.

INTRODUCTION The therapy of cardiovascular diseases has improved rapidly over the past 20 years. The most commonly used medications in cardiac patients are drugs affecting potassium homeostasis in the kidneys or the gastrointestinal tract, particularly inhibitors of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAA) axis. They all can lead to hyperkalemia. This disorder may cause severe damage to the muscles ...

MANAGEMENT OF SEVERE HYPERKALEMIA

Hyperkalemia in Heart Failure.

Disorders of potassium homeostasis can potentiate the already elevated risk of arrhythmia in heart failure. Heart failure patients have a high prevalence of chronic kidney disease, which further heightens the risk of hyperkalemia, especially when renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors are used. Acute treatment for hyperkalemia may not be tolerated in the long term. Recent data for pati...