Question

The rule is a patient can receive potassium 10meq/hr through a peripheral IV and 20meq/hr through a central line. It must always be on a pump. Rapid infusion of potassium will cause asystole.

a. True
b. False

Answer 1

Potassium solution injections are lethal because they disrupt the electrochemical gradient in cardiac muscle cells resulting in hyperkalemia, which, if high enough, can induce asystole and is hence used in capital punishment and euthanasia.

Step-by-step explanation:

The injection of a potassium solution into a person's blood is indeed lethal, and this method is used in procedures such as capital punishment and euthanasia because of its effect on the body. In medical settings, there are strict guidelines for the administration of potassium to avoid hyperkalemia, which is an elevated potassium blood level. For a patient suffering from hypokalemia, a physician may order IV delivery of potassium chloride (KCl), but must do so at a safe and regulated rate. Rapid infusion of potassium can cause asystole, which is the absence of heart contractions, and as such, potassium must always be administered through a pump to monitor and control the infusion rate.

Hyperkalemia can cause fatal events because it results in a partial depolarization of the cells in the heart, preventing them from relaxing after a contraction. This effect can literally cause the heart to seize and stop pumping blood. Thus, controlled administration of potassium is critical as too much potassium can disrupt the electrochemical gradient in cardiac muscle cells, leading to asystole.