Can high levels of potassium be dangerous?
Having too much potassium in your blood can be dangerous. Potassium affects the way your heart’s muscles work. When you have too much potassium, your heart may beat irregularly, which in the worst cases, can cause heart attack.
At what level does potassium become dangerous?
Your blood potassium level is normally 3.6 to 5.2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). Having a blood potassium level higher than 6.0 mmol/L can be dangerous and usually requires immediate treatment.
When should I be concerned about high potassium levels?
A potassium level higher than 5.5 mmol/L is critically high, and a potassium level over 6 mmol/L can be life-threatening. Small variations in ranges may be possible depending on the laboratory. Whether you have mild or severe hyperkalemia, you should get prompt medical attention to prevent possible complications.
What can cause dangerously high potassium levels?
The most common cause of genuinely high potassium (hyperkalemia) is related to your kidneys, such as: Acute kidney failure. Chronic kidney disease.
Is it dangerous to have a high potassium level?
Having a blood potassium level higher than 6.0 mmol/L can be dangerous and usually requires immediate treatment.
What causes high potassium levels at Mayo Clinic?
By Mayo Clinic Staff. Often a report of high blood potassium isn’t true hyperkalemia. Instead, it may be caused by the rupture of blood cells in the blood sample during or shortly after the blood draw.
What should your blood potassium level be if you have hyperkalemia?
Your blood potassium level is normally 3.6 to 5.2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). Having a blood potassium level higher than 6.0 mmol/L can be dangerous and usually requires immediate treatment.
What happens to the body if potassium is left untreated?
If hyperkalemia is left untreated, the heart will stop as its electrical activity is suppressed. Signs of this can be a slow or weak pulse or chest pains. High blood potassium levels in the blood adversely affect both the smooth muscles and the skeletal muscles.
