Final answer:
A nurse identifying a patient's high potassium level of 6.2 meq/l would consider hyperkalemia and look for history of increased potassium intake, acid-base imbalances, certain medications like calcium channel blockers, and diseases affecting potassium regulation.
Step-by-step explanation:
A nurse notices that a patient's potassium level is 6.2 meq/l, which is indicative of hyperkalemia. This condition can impair the function of skeletal muscles, the nervous system, and the heart, with potential fatal consequences if it leads to cardiac arrest due to failure of the heart to relax after a contraction.
Factors that a nurse should associate with the development of hyperkalemia from a patient's history include:
- Increased dietary intake of potassium.
- Conditions that result in potassium moving from the intracellular space to the extracellular fluid (ECF), such as acid-base imbalances like metabolic acidosis or alkalosis.
- Medications like calcium channel blockers, which can affect potassium levels.
- Diseases affecting potassium regulation, such as kidney disease, or hormonal imbalances involving the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.
When the level is high (hyperkalemia), instead of hypokalemia (low potassium levels), management involves reducing potassium intake, medications that promote potassium excretion, and sometimes emergency treatment to protect the heart.