Initial Symptoms

• Initial symptoms of hyperkalemia might include weakness, fatigue, muscle cramps and nausea.
  
  

Cardiac Concerns

• Extremely high levels of potassium in the blood can disrupt electrical activity of the heart. This can create conditions leading to cardiac arrest and death.
  
  

Specific Cardiac Effects

• Cardiac electrical activity problems can cause dangerous arrhythmia; heart block, in which the signal from the upper to lower chambers is impaired; and ventricular fibrillation, uncoordinated and very rapid, ineffective contractions of the ventricles.
  
  

Genetic Considerations

• A rare genetic disorder causes sudden onset of hyperkalemia, which interferes with skeletal muscle functioning and causes paralysis.
  
  

Treatment

• Physicians typically treat mild hyperkalemia with a low-potassium diet and discontinuation of medications that can raise potassium levels. More severe cases require a hospital stay with intravenous medications and electrocardiographic monitoring.