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Alkalinization Is Ineffective for Severe Hyperkalemia in Nonnephrectomized Dogs
Author(s) -
Kaplan Justin L.,
Braitman Leonard E.,
Dalsey William C.,
Montgomery Michael,
Mangione Antoinette
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
academic emergency medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.221
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1553-2712
pISSN - 1069-6563
DOI - 10.1111/j.1553-2712.1997.tb03713.x
Subject(s) - hyperkalemia , medicine , bolus (digestion) , saline , anesthesia , sodium bicarbonate , potassium , sodium , isoflurane , bicarbonate , surgery , chemistry , organic chemistry
Objective : To determine whether alkalinization with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) in near‐lethal hyperkalemia either lowers potassium (K) rapidly or shortens duration of cardiac conduction disturbances. Methods : A controlled canine laboratory investigation of 3 treatments for severe hyperkalemia. Conditioned dogs ( n = 8; 17–30 kg) received, in random order, 2 mmol/kg of each of 3 treatments (matched in sodium and water) in separate experiments ≥1 week apart: 1.05% NaHCO 3 over 60 minutes ( infusion therapy); 8.4% NaHCO 3 over 5 minutes, then 14 mL/kg sterile water over 55 minutes ( bolus therapy); 8.4% NaCl over 5 minutes, then 14 mL/kg sterile water over 55 minutes ( saline therapy). Prior to administering one of the above therapies, the animals were anesthetized with 0.5–2.5% isoflurane and ventilated to maintain a normal Pco 2 . After 30 minutes of equilibration, 2 mmol/kg/hr (loading dose) of a 2‐mmol/mL KCl solution was given until idioventricular or relative junctional bradycardic dysrhythmias were sustained for 15 minutes. Then KCl was decreased to 1 mmol/kg/hr (maintenance dose) for 2 hours and 45 minutes. Treatment was begun after 45 minutes of maintenance KCl infusion. Results : The pretreatment K level (all studies) was 9.06 ± 0.82 mmol/L (mean ± SD). Although the mean K level decreased more after saline therapy than after bolus therapy at every time, differences were neither statistically significant nor clinically important during the first 30 minutes. The means of the differences in decreases (saline minus bolus) were small, 0.26 (95% CI, ‐0.48 to 1.00) at 15 minutes, 0.16 (95% CI, ‐0.67 to 0.98) at 30 minutes. Dysrhythmia duration was shorter with bolus therapy than for saline therapy in only 1 of 5 dogs (p = 0.38). Conclusions : Hypertonic saline bolus lowered plasma K as effectively as NaHCO 3 bolus in this animal model within the first 30 minutes. Clinically meaningful decreases due to alkalinization alone within 30 minutes are unlikely.