Hyperkalaemia (High Potassium Level)

What is Hyperkalaemia?

Hyperkalaemia is when there is more potassium in your blood than there should be.

It is categorised as mild, moderate or severe. Mildly raised potassium is still significant and you should aim to lower it as soon as possible.

Normal levels of potassium are between 3.5 and 5.3 mmol/l.

Why Do I Need to Avoid a High Potassium Level?

Potassium is an important mineral that controls the activity in your nerves, muscles and heart. It is also vital for the function of every cell in your body. Therefore, your potassium level needs to lie within the normal healthy range to avoid problems with your heart, muscle, nerve or cell function.

Severe levels of hyperkalemia can be life-threatening.

How Can I Reduce My Potassium Level?

Many foods and drinks contain a high concentration of potassium, and you will want to avoid these. These include bananas, orange juice, milk, yoghurt, baked potato, beetroot, dry fruits and avocados, amongst many others. Here you will find a very useful food guide from Oxford University Hospitals that highlights the foods that are high in potassium as well as foods that are lower in potassium. Avoid any foods high in potassium and substitute them for the lower potassium alternatives.

What Causes Hyperkalaemia?

Consuming too much potassium in your diet is a common cause. However, there are some other causes of high potassium that your doctor will have considered:

One of the jobs of your kidneys is to remove excess potassium from your body via your urine. Therefore, if your kidneys are not working so well, sometimes your body's potassium level can go up. During your most recent blood test, your doctor will have looked at your overall kidney function and will have contacted you and asked for a discussion if there were any concerns about this.

Certain medications can also cause your potassium levels to increase. Certain heart and blood pressure medications such as ramipril, lisinopril, perindopril, enalapril, losartan, candesartan, irbesartan, valsartan, eplerenone, spironolactone and amiloride are often common culprits. Your doctor will have looked at your medication list upon seeing your blood results to identify any causes. However, if you have any concerns regarding this or are on any of these medications, please contact your doctor.

How Do I Know That My Potassium Levels Are Back to Normal?

Your doctor will have contacted you via text or a phone call to let you know when to book a repeat blood test to recheck your potassium levels. For mild hyperkalaemia, ideally, this should be within one week.

You will need to book your blood test via the Lister Hospital Phlebotomy Service.

When Should I Seek Further Help?

Most of the time, high potassium levels will not result in any symptoms. However, in cases of severe hyperkalemia, you can become very unwell. If you experience any of the following symptoms, please seek medical help urgently via your GP, NHS 111 or 999/A&E in an emergency: