Objectives: The degree of hyperkalemia and effects of potassium removal by hemodialysis on the plasma potassium concentration to see the influence of nonselective beta-adrenergic blockade(carteolol) and ACE inhibitor(captopril) on patients in maintena...
Objectives: The degree of hyperkalemia and effects of potassium removal by hemodialysis on the plasma potassium concentration to see the influence of nonselective beta-adrenergic blockade(carteolol) and ACE inhibitor(captopril) on patients in maintenance hemodialysis were evaluated. Methods: This study was done on 16 patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. These patients were classified two groups; group 1-patients with carteolol or captopril(9 patients) and group 2-patients without medication(7 patients). Measurement of plasma potassium and arterial blood gas analyses were performed at pre-dialysis and during hemodialysis(4 hours). To analysis the distribution of potassium kinetics during hemodialysis, dialysis potassium clearance rate was introduced in this study. Results: 1) Among 16 patients studied, the mean age was 43 years old and the ratio of male to female was 2: 1 and the mean duration of hemodialysis was 17.9 months. The underlying cause of end-stage renal disease was chronic glomerulonephritis in the most patients. 2) The mean predialysis plasma potassium concentration of all patients, group 1 on medication, and group 2 without medication was 5.13±1.04mEq/L, 5.67±1.01mEq/L and 4.410.55mEq/L, with high significance(p<0.001) between groups 1 and 2. 3) The mean postdialysis plasma potassium concentration of group 1 on medication and group 2 without medication was 348±0.40mEq/L and 3.39±0.56mEq/L with insignificance between groups 1 and 2. 4) The pre- and post-dialysis concentration of plasma sodium, pH and bicarbonate between group 1 and group 2 was similar except glucose. 5) Despite the fall in absolute plasma concentration in group 1 more than twice than in group 2, the difference in dialysis potassium clearance rate measured at 1 hour of hemodialysis in group 1 compared to that of group 2 was only 12M. Conclusion: These data are consistent with at least a two-compartment distribution of plasma potassium rather than single pool in addition to frequent hyperkalemia on maintenance hemodialysis on nonselective beta-adrenergic blocker or ACE inhibitor contributed to partial impairment of extrarenal transcellular shifts of potassium during inter- and intra-dialytic phase.