Definition

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Hyperkalemia is the medical term for a potassium level in the blood that's higher than is healthy. Potassium is a chemical that nerve and muscle cells need to work. This includes the nerve and muscle cells of the heart. The kidneys help control the amount of potassium in the blood.

A healthy blood potassium level is 3.6 to 5.2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). Having a blood potassium level higher than 6.0 mmol/L can be a danger. It most often needs treatment right away.

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Oct. 31, 2024

See also

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  5. Seeing inside the heart with MRI
  6. Ultrasound
  7. MRI
  8. X-ray