Question

A client in the later stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has hyperkalemia. With CKD, what other factors besides tissue breakdown can cause high potassium levels

Answer 1

The kidneys filter out toxins, byproducts, drugs and ect. In CKD, the kidneys do not function at the normal level and cannot get rid of higher levels of electrolytes like a person with functioning kidneys can. This leads to a back up of electrolytes, a very common one being potassium.