Hypokalemia-Induced Life-Threatening Arrhythmia in a Patient With Congestive Heart Failure.

acute kidney injury congestive heart failure hypokalemia medication reconciliation over-diuresis ventricular tachycardia

Journal

Cureus
ISSN: 2168-8184
Titre abrégé: Cureus
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101596737

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Feb 2023
Historique:
accepted: 14 02 2023
entrez: 20 3 2023
pubmed: 21 3 2023
medline: 21 3 2023
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Ventricular tachyarrhythmias are common in patients with heart failure. It is one of the important preventable causes of death in these patient populations. Hypokalemia is prevalent in patients with heart failure due to various reasons. Hypokalemia can trigger ventricular arrhythmias through different mechanisms. In this case report, we present a middle-aged man with congestive heart failure (CHF) and an automated intracardiac defibrillator (AICD) on multiple diuretic medications (unintended) who presented with acute chest pain. He was found to have severe hypokalemia, hyponatremia, and an acute kidney injury. Interrogation of the AICD revealed multiple episodes of ventricular fibrillation. The patient was managed by holding his diuretic medications, cautious volume repletion, and potassium replacement. Fortunately, the patient showed rapid clinical improvement and his plasma potassium level improved. On discharge, we reconciled the patient's medications to avoid the recurrence of hypokalemia from over-diuresis and arranged a close follow-up outpatient visit with his cardiologist.

Identifiants

pubmed: 36938242
doi: 10.7759/cureus.34971
pmc: PMC10019554
doi:

Types de publication

Case Reports

Langues

eng

Pagination

e34971

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2023, Fargaly et al.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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Auteurs

Hithem Fargaly (H)

Nephrology, Wayne State University Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, USA.

Rebecca J Schultz (RJ)

Nephrology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, USA.

Un Yong Chung (UY)

Nephrology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, USA.

Noreen F Rossi (NF)

Nephrology, Wayne State University, Detroit, USA.

Classifications MeSH