Effect of Serum Potassium Level on Hemodynamic Stability during the Hemodialysis Session

Elsayed, Heba Mahmoud Lotfy; Abd Elghany, Mohammed Mahmoud; Kamel, Cherry Reda

doi:10.12816/0040609

Effect of Serum Potassium Level on Hemodynamic Stability during the Hemodialysis Session

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University

10.12816/0040609

Abstract

Potassium is the major intracellular cation with concentrations reaching 120-150 mEq/L. On the contrary, the extracellular fluid potassium concentration is much lower and kept within very narrow levels between 3.5-5.0mEq/L ⁽¹⁾. Aim of the work: this work aimed to assess serum potassium level in patients on regular hemodialysis and to determine its clinical impact on hemodynamic stability during the hemodialysis session.
Patient and method: serum (K) level of 30 patients on regular hemodialysis was measured before and after dialysis and the results were correlated with electrocardiographic (ECG) changes. Results: there was no change in P wave, PR interval or QT interval in all the patients, while QRS was found to be shortened in 3 patients (10 %) in the post-dialysis ECG and elongated in one patient (3.3%) in the post dialysis ECG, T wave showed dynamic changes in the form of reduction in the amplitude of T wave in 11 patients (36.7%). Conclusion: the absence of electrocardiographic changes in hyperkalaemic haemodialysis patients should be interpreted with caution.

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