Hyperkalemia in Chronic Kidney Failure: Causes, Symptoms And Diet

Hyperkalemia is that the concentration of the electrolyte potassium in the blood is higher than normal serum potassium levels, 3.5 to 5.0mEq/L. 5.1-6.0mEq/L levels of potassium is mild hyperkalemia, 6.1-7.0mEq/L is moderate hyperkalemia, and potassium level over 7mEq/L is severe hyperkalemia.

How does chronic kidney failure cause hyperkalemia?

As we know, one of kidney function is to keep the balance of electrolyte. If your body has more potassium, kidney can expel extra potassium, on the contrary, kidney expels less potassium. Every day, we may receive potassium ion (K+) from various foods, like vegetables, fruits and meat. But when kidney is impaired, kidney loss the ability to keep electrolyte balance. As our body contains much more potassium, kidney can not make them out. In this situation, it is easy to cause hyperkalemia.

How do you know if you are suffering from hyperkalemia caused by chronic kidney failure.

Here are some common symptoms to help you know the disease.

* muscle cramp and myalgia

* nausea or vomiting

* fatigue

* arrhythmia

* pale complexion and cold limbs

If you have above-mentioned symptoms, you need to notice your body. But not everyone has these symptoms, you need to do a further examination.

How to manage and treat hyperkalmia which is caused by chronic kidney failure?

In daily life, you have to pay attention to your diet. Hyperkalmia is that inside your body contains much more potassium, so you must limit the intake of potassium. Some foods are high in potassium:

Vegetables: spinach, potatoes, carrots, mushroom,etc.

Fruits: banana, longan, orange, apple, grape,etc.

Meat: fish, lean meat, chicken,etc

Patients with hyperkalmia had better do not eat these high potassium foods. You can eat some lower potassium foods, like chicken eggs, duck eggs, pumpkin, rice, tofu, milk, etc. However, make sure limit the amount of these foods, as eating too much of them also cause further elevation of potassium level in blood. Of course, this is not absolute. You have to check you body and know the volume of other microelements like phosphorus, sodium, calcium,etc. In this way, can you know better of your body and arrange a reasonable diet. Besides, for chronic kidney failure patients, they suffer from hyperkalemia as their kidneys are failed in discharging excessive potassium. In this light, repairing kidney damages to improve kidney function is essential for them to control their hyperkalemia well.