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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
If you have hyperkalemia, you’ve got very high potassium levels in your bloodstream. Kidney disease is one possible cause. But certain medicines can make your potassium levels skyrocket, too. Medicines that boost potassium may do so in different ways. Some directly add more potassium to your body. Others slow your kidneys’ removal of the potassium you’ve gotten from other sources. There are also drugs that change the way potassium moves through your body, which can affect the levels in your bloodstream.Even a small increase in potassium can have big effects on your health – especially if you already have kidney disease. That's why it's important to check your medicine cabinet for these medicines and talk to your doctor about them.Blood Pressure Medicines These drugs lower blood pressure and protect your kidneys. In the process, they make your kidneys hold on to extra potassium. You're more likely to get hyperkalemia from blood pressure medications if your kidneys are already damaged from kidney disease.These are the blood pressure meds that can cause this problem:Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, such as benazepril (Lotensin), enalapril (Vasotec), and ramipril (Altace)Angiotensin-II receptor blockers, such as candesartan (Atacand), losartan (Cozaar), and telmisartan (Micardis)Beta-blockers, such as atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol-XL), and propranolol (Inderal)Calcium channel blockers, such as amlodipine (Norvasc), diltiazem (Cardizem), and nifedipine (Procardia)Direct renin inhibitors, such as aliskiren (Tekturna)Potassium-Sparing Diuretics Also called "water pills," diuretics treat high blood pressure. They help your body remove extra salt and water to lower your blood pressure. Most diuretics reduce potassium levels in your blood, too. But potassium-sparing diuretics are different – they make your body hold on to more potassium.These are potassium-sparing diuretics:Amiloride (Midamor)Eplerenone (Inspra)Spironolactone (Aldactone, Carospir)Triamterene (Dyrenium)Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)Medicines like ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen relieve occasional aches and pains. But you’re not supposed to take them long-term. If you do, they can damage your kidneys and cause your potassium levels to rise. NSAIDs are more likely to cause hyperkalemia in people who have already lost kidney function from kidney disease.Immune-Suppressing MedicinesSome immune-suppressing drugs, namely cyclosporine and tacrolimus, lower your immune system activity to stop your body from rejecting
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