Nephron. Physiology
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Nephron. Physiology · Jan 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialBolus administration of intravenous glucose in the treatment of hyperkalemia: a randomized controlled trial.
Hyperkalemia is a common medical emergency that may result in serious cardiac arrhythmias. Standard therapy with insulin plus glucose reliably lowers the serum potassium concentration ([K(+)]) but carries the risk of hypoglycemia. This study examined whether an intravenous glucose-only bolus lowers serum [K(+)] in stable, nondiabetic, hyperkalemic patients and compared this intervention with insulin-plus-glucose therapy. ⋯ Infusion of a glucose-only bolus caused a clinically significant decrease in serum [K(+)] without any episodes of hypoglycemia.