My father passed away on 08/08/97 of a.) acute renal failure and b.)
non-insulin dependent diabetes. His death was most unexpected <I was away
on vacation at the time>, and I’m left with so many unanswered questions
that, when I called his physician looking for some answers, I failed to
ask them all.
One of the statememts I remember his doctor making during our telephone
conversation is, "when a patient presents with a potassium level of 7.5,
we do all we can, but it really is ‘too late’".
Can you explain what he might have meant by that? What *is* a "normal"
potassium level?
Thank you for any help my fellow USENET Frequenters may potentially
provide.
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>One of the statememts I remember his doctor making during our telephone
>conversation is, "when a patient presents with a potassium level of 7.5,
>we do all we can, but it really is ‘too late’".
>Can you explain what he might have meant by that? What *is* a "normal"
>potassium level?
>Thank you for any help my fellow USENET Frequenters may potentially
>provide.
>——————-==== Posted via Deja News ====———————–
> http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Post to Usenet
normal potassium is 3.5 to 5.3 meq/l a potassium of 7.3 is very high
and the most dangerous effect is the cardiac effect. people in acutre renal
failure tend to build up potassium. Sometimes it is
possible to administer drugs to get the K+ temporarily out of the blood
stream quickly and into the read cells. Then it possible to reduce the
postassium more long term by giving oral meds that fascilitate excreation
thru the stool. But with acute renal failure-
fightening toxic levels of potassium is an uphill battle it inevitably
builds up and have cardiac effects. It is a consequence of the disease.
Renal patients always have to watch potassium levels. It seems like his
disease just followed its history.
Gary Stone
RN(BSN)MLT(ASCP)