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What Causes Potassium to Be High?
What is potassium?
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Potassium is an element that helps maintain proper body-fluid level. It works with other materials like sodium. Potassium and sodium are also electrolytes vital to the blood chemistry, muscles and cellular tissue. Electrolytes can also help carry nerve impulses throughout the body. This is important in that electrolytes have electrical charges in them that tell the heart when to beat, for example.
Disorder and Disease
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Physiological disorder or disease is mainly what causes potassium to be high. For example, hyperkalemia is an aftereffect of kidney disease primarily marked by high potassium level. The kidneys take unwanted material out of the blood. When potassium travels in the body, at some point, excess needs to be excreted. If it isn't, the kidneys can cease to function, and hyperkalemia can result. Hyperkalemia can also cause heart disease, too. When too much potassium is in the blood, it causes muscles to become weaker. When the heart is damaged, it may not beat properly.
Other Causes
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Although disorder and disease are the most common causes for high potassium, there are other events that may cause potassium to be high. Alcoholism, pregnancy, vomiting and digestive problems are some of many conditions that can cause potassium to be high. For example, when someone vomits or has profuse diarrhea, vital water is ejected from the body. Too much potassium will remain, inducing a recurrent gag reflex. Potassium in the blood can become poisonous if it is not excreted. Excessive vomiting causes tissue scarring. This in turn damages the esophagus, the stomach and duodenum.
eHow Article: What Causes Potassium to Be High?
