Tag: Hyperkalemia treatment

Approximately 60-65% of critically ill patients may suffer from hypomagnesemia, a condition that can render hyperkalemia unresponsive to standard treatments, leading to the life-threatening state known as refractory hyperkalemia.

Severe hyperkalemia, with potassium levels above 6.5 mEq/L, can cause life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias that require immediate medical intervention. The question of what does calcium carbonate do for hyperkalemia arises, but it is a critical misconception, as intravenous (IV) calcium gluconate or chloride are the appropriate treatments for cardiac stabilization, not oral calcium carbonate.