A Brief Review of the Pharmacology of Hyperkalemia: Causes and Treatment

Hyperkalemia is a common problem in both inpatients and outpatients. Many disease states (eg, chronic kidney disease) and medications may precipitate hyperkalemia. There are several drugs now available to treat hyperkalemia. Many of these drugs are relatively new. This review provides information regarding drug-induced causes of hyperkalemia and provides detailed information on the medications used to treat this problem.