Hyperkalemia Center - Gaithersburg, MDGaithersburg Internist Doctors for HyperkalemiaType of Physician: Internist What is a Internist? A certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners provide long-term, comprehensive care in the office and the hospital, managing both common illnesses and complex problems for adolescents, adults, and the elderly. General internists are trained in primary care internal medicine, which incorporates an understanding of disease prevention, wellness, substance abuse, mental health and treatment of problems of the eyes, ears, skin, nervous system and reproductive organs. All internists are trained in the subspecialty areas of internal medicine including emergency internal medicine and critical care. Internists consult with surgeons when surgical management is indicated, and often act as consultants to other specialists. Specialty: Internal Medicine Common Name: Internist Doctors in Gaithersburg * Asbury Physician Services LLC  Suhair A Abulfarag MD  Attan Kasid MD  Ravi Passi MD PC  Mo-Ping Chow MD  Boo K Kim MD  J Benjamin Untiveros MD  James M Anchors MD  Comprehensive Primary Care  John R Melnick MD & Associates  Comprehensive Primary Care  Secure Medical Care  John R Melnick MD & Associates  Comprehensive Primary Care  FDA Center for Devices  Grace E Sagayadan MD  Greater Washington Dermatology  Optimal Health Physician  Martin W Graf MD  Plotsky Medical Associates  Anurita Mendhiratta MD  Plotsky Medical Associates  Philip J Schwartz MD  Aimee Seidman MD PC  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Shady Grove  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Shady Grove  Aimee Seidman MD PC  My Weight Doctor  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  David Charles MD  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Michael A Sauri MD PA dba Occupational Health Consultants  Digestive Disease Consultants PA  Alan R Vinitsky MD  M Rita Ghosh MD  Wayne Meyer MD  Maryam Mizrahi MD  Arthur Schoengold MD  Anne S Wilson MD  Melinda Wolf MD  Joseph R Robinson MD  Montgomery Medical  Brigitte Abrishami MD  Nicholas J Kohlerman III MD PhD  Nelson Lui MD  Century Medicine  Drs Dunford & Shumaker  Drs Dunford & Shumaker  Physician Associates  Medical Access  Family Healthcare  Douglas C Frankel MD  Vinu Ganti MD  Hiru Khianey MD  Potomac Physician Associates PC  Potomac Physician Associates PC  Potomac Physician Associates PC  Potomac Physician Associates PC  Rockville Internal Medical Group  Rockville Internal Medical Group  Rockville Internal Medical Group  Rockville Internal Medical Group  Rockville Internal Medical Group  Rockville Internal Medical Group  Thomas V Joseph MD  Martha E Kern MD  Swaroop Rao MD  Pankaj Talwar MD  Farzad Assar MD  Ajay Reddy MD LLC  Mario O Belledonne MD  John B K Allotey MD  Usha Gollapalli MD  Dineshbhai Patel MD  Daniel I Kim MD  Physicians Associates Pulmonary Medicine  Physicians Associates Pulmonary Medicine  Physicians Associates Pulmonary Medicine  Physicians Associates Pulmonary Medicine  Physicians Associates Pulmonary Medicine  Alok Mathur MD  Hadi Bahar MD  Thomas Q Garvey MD  Thomas Q Garvey MD  Jere J Daum MD  Nakul Goyal MD  Advanced Internal Medicine PC  Evelyn D Jackson MD  Robert H Knitzer MD  Thomas E Dooley MD & Associates  Advanced Internal Medicine PC  Silviu Ziscovici MD  Potomac Physician Associates PC  Potomac Physician Associates PC  Potomac Physician Associates PC  Potomac Physician Associates PC  Potomac Physician Associates PC  Kian Kaviani MD Gaithersburg, MarylandUpcoming Local Events2012-06-02
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Hyperkalemia (High Blood Potassium)Read the Hyperkalemia (High Blood Potassium) article » What is hyperkalemia?Hyperkalemia is common; it is diagnosed in up to 8% of hospitalized patients in the U.S. Fortunately, most patients have mild hyperkalemia (which is usually well tolerated). However, any condition causing even mild hyperkalemia should be treated to prevent progression into more severe hyperkalemia. Extremely high levels of potassium in the blood (severe hyperkalemia) can lead to cardiac arrest and death. When not recognized and treated properly, severe hyperkalemia results in a mortality rate of about 67%. Technically, hyperkalemia means an abnormally elevated level of potassium in the blood. The normal potassium level in the blood is 3.5-5.0 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). Potassium levels between 5.1 mEq/L to 6.0 mEq/L reflect mild hyperkalemia. Potassium levels of 6.1 mEq/L to 7.0 mEq/L are moderate hyperkalemia, and levels above 7 mEq/L are severe hyperkalemia.
How does hyperkalemia affect the body?Potassium is critical for the normal functioning of the muscles, heart, and nerves. It plays an important role in controlling activity of smooth muscle (such as the muscle found in the digestive tract) and skeletal muscle (muscles of the extremities and torso), as well as the muscles of the heart. It is also important for normal transmission of electrical signals throughout the nervous system within the body. Normal blood levels of potassium are critical for maintaining normal heart electrical rhythm. Both low blood potassium levels (hypokalemia) and high blood potassium levels (hyperkalemia) can lead to abnormal heart rhythms. The most important clinical effect of hyperkalemia is related to electrical rhythm of the heart. While mild hyperkalemia probably has a limited effect on the heart, moderate hyperkalemia can produce EKG changes (EKG is an electrical reading of the heart muscles), and severe hyperkalemia can caus... Recommended Reading Related to Hyperkalemia (High Blood Potassium)What are electrolytes?Chemically, electrolytes are substances that become ions in solution and acquire the capacity to conduct electricity. Electrolytes are present in the human body, and the balance of the electrolytes in our bodies is essential for normal function of our cells and our organs. Common electrolytes that are measured by doctors with blood testing include sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate. The functions and normal range values for these electrolytes are described below.
SodiumSodium is the major positive ion (cation) in fluid outside of cells. The chemical notation for sodium is Na+. When combined with chloride, the resulting substance is table salt. Excess sodium (such as that obtained from dietary sources) is excreted in the urine. Sodium regulates the total amount of water in the body and the transmission of sodium into and out of individual cells also plays a role in critical body funct... Other Related Hyperkalemia ArticlesEmergency Contact for Gaithersburg
Nearby Gaithersburg Hospitals *Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland Potomac Ridge Behavioral Health Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Adventist Hospital Montgomery General Hospital Suburban Hospital National Institutes of Health Holy Cross Hospital Walter Reed Army Medical Center Sibley Memorial Hospital Psychiatric Institute of Washington Washington Adventist Hospital Reston Hospital Center Inova Loudoun Hospital Center Georgetown University Hospital Howard County General Hospital Laurel Regional Hospital National Rehabilitation Hospital Providence Hospital Washington DC VA Medical Center Washington Hospital Center Children's National Medical Center Virginia Hospital Center The HSC Pediatric Center Howard University Hospital The George Washington University Hospital Dominion Hospital North Spring Behavioral Healthcare Inova Fairfax Hospital Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute The Specialty Hospital of Washington Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Gladys Spellman Specialty Hospital Prince George's Hospital Center Doctors Community Hospital Graydon Manor Behavioral Health Springfield Hospital Center Inova Alexandria Hospital Saint Elizabeth's Hospital Frederick Memorial Hospital Sheppard Pratt at Ellicott City United Medical Center The Specialty Hospital of Washington-Hadley Northwest Hospital Spring Grove Hospital Center Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Kernan Hospital Saint Agnes Hospital Prince William Hospital Baltimore Washington Medical Center Fort Washington Hospital Carroll Hospital Center Bon Secours Baltimore Health System Southern Maryland Hospital Center Harbor Hospital Center Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center & Hospital Sinai Hospital of Baltimore Baltimore VA Medical Center University of Maryland Medical Center University Specialty Hospital Maryland General Hospital Mt Washington Pediatric Hospital Mercy Medical Center Union Memorial Hospital Kennedy Krieger Institute Johns Hopkins Hospital Greater Baltimore Medical Center Sheppard Pratt Health System Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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