Hyperkalemia induced failure of atrial and ventricular pacemaker capture

Int J Cardiol. 2005 Nov 2;105(2):224-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2004.11.028.

Abstract

Hyperkalemia is a life threatening metabolic condition. The common risk factors for hyperkalemia include renal insufficiency, use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, potassium supplementation and excessive consumption of potassium containing diet. A mild to moderate increase in serum potassium causes an increase in myocardial excitability, but further increase leads to impaired myocardial responsiveness, including that to pacing stimulation. Hyperkalemia has been reported to cause failure of atrial capture due to pacemaker exit block. We report a case where hyperkalemia resulted in failure of both the atrial and the ventricular pacemaker capture.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Electrocardiography
  • Equipment Failure
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Heart Atria / physiopathology*
  • Heart Rate / physiology*
  • Heart Ventricles / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Hyperkalemia / etiology*
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / complications*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pacemaker, Artificial*
  • Sick Sinus Syndrome / complications
  • Sick Sinus Syndrome / physiopathology
  • Sick Sinus Syndrome / therapy*