The importance of potassium ion disturbances in emergency care

Introduction: Patients presenting with potassium disorders in the emergency departments are relatively frequent and this can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Our aim was to describe the presentation, treatment, the outcome and the influencing factors of hyperkalemia and hypokalemia. Objective: A cross-sectional retrospective study was performed anonymously. Method: The sample consisted of patients diagnosed with hypo- (n(1) = 130) or hyperkalemia (n(2) = 70) at the Emergency Department of the Geza Hetenyi Hospital of the Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok County Hospital between September and December 2021, following a non-random sampling technique (n = 200). The obtained data were evaluated by descriptive and mathematical statistical calculations (chi(2) test, two-sample T-test, ANOVA and correlation analysis) using SPSS software (p<0.05). Results: Predisposing factors for hypokalemia included female gender (p<0.001) and hypertension (p = 0.04). 60% of patients with moderate hypokalemia were diagnosed with hypertension (p = 0.003). Higher blood glucose levels (p<0.001), diabetes mellitus (p<0.001) and chronic kidney disease (p<0.001) were associated with hyperkalemic conditions. The more severe the potassium abnormality, the more likely it was to have diagnostic ECG abnormalities, which occurred in 48.6% of patients with hyperkalemia (p<0.001). Regarding presenting complaints, the level of serum potassium was the highest in the case of dyspnoea (p<0.001). The majority of patients requiring life-saving procedures had severe hypokalemia (p<0.001). Hyperkalemia and hypokalemia were often associated with hospitalization and less frequently with death. Conclusion: The development of unified guidelines for the treatment of dyskalemic conditions would certainly be helpful, which could greatly increase patient safety and facilitate the decision-making process of medical providers in critical situations.