The clinical entity of refeeding syndrome was first described in U.S. POWs in Japan who had been starved for many months to years, then developed extreme electrolyte abnormalities upon the reintroduction of food. The most common electrolyte abnormalities…
Are ESRD patients “protected” from the arrhythmogenic effects of hyperkalemia if they are chronically exposed to elevated potassium levels? I’m not sure if there is a clear answer to this question, but it is certainly a relevant question….
This is probably review as it is such a common occurrence for nephrologists as well as internists. Here’s my protocol, along with useful dosing info (sometimes lacking in textbooks): 1. Get an EKG. Look to see if there…
Don’t be fooled into dialyzing patients that don’t need to be dialyzed! You have to beware of the pseudohyperkalemia. The most common cause of pseudohyperkalemia of course is due to hemolysis from venipuncture. There are other, more rare,…
We’ve known this medical factoid since we were medical students: you can’t successfully replete a potassium-depleted patient if they have low magnesium levels. But what is the mechanism by which this occurs? One possible explanation is put forth…
Why is there a picture of a toad on the Renal Fellow Network? In reading the most recent edition of ESRD/Dialysis “NephSAP” (the ASN’s periodic review of relevant nephrology-themed literature), I learned about an unusual cause of hyperkalemia:…
