Heart drugs can cause dangerous build up of potassium, new study

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 12 Aug 2004 - 15:00 PDT


A new American study has found that heart drugs, such as angiotensin-converting-enzyme or ACE inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers, can increase potassium levels in approximately 10% of patients.

Dr. Biff Palmer, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, said "Because a third to half of patients with congestive heart failure have kidney complications, a large proportion of patients being treated with ACE inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers are at increased risk for hyperkalemia (high potassium)."

If your potassium levels are raised your heart's normal rhythm can be disrupted, said Dr. Palmer.

You can read about the study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr. Palmer added "The patient's medication profile should be reviewed and drugs discontinued that impair excretion of potassium in the kidney, such as over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen. Patients should be asked about the use of herbal remedies, as herbs can be a hidden source of potassium."

Dr. Palmer suggested that patients who are at risk should consider being careful with certain foods which are high in potassium such as:

-- Bananas

-- Cantelope

-- Watermelon

-- Baked Potatoes

-- Beef

-- Liver

-- Lima Beans

-- Orange Juice

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