AFib: Potassium supplements may reduce risk after heart surgery
- A new study has shown that the lower limit of potassium supplementation after heart surgery saves the patient’s costs and does not create additional risks of atrial fibrillation or other dysrhythmias.
- Atrial fibrillation is the most common clinical condition worldwide, and approximately one-third of heart surgery patients develop it.
- Potassium, along with other electrolytes, plays an important role in heart health.
It is common for patients to be given intravenous potassium supplements after any type of heart surgery if their potassium levels fall below 4.5 mEq/L (Milliequivalents per liter). However, a new study, published in
Almost
Risk of AFib
There are four chambers in the heart – two atria and two ventricles – and atrial fibrillation occurs when those chambers malfunction due to abnormal electrical activity, causing the atria and ventricles contract at different rates.
Aging, high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, alcohol abuse, and a history of major heart disease are factors that can contribute to the development of atrial fibrillation. However, it is the most painful post-surgical event, and according to the authors of the new study, it can lead to expensive hospital bills, longer hospital stays, and high risk of death.
Researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial at 23 cardiac surgery centers in the United Kingdom and Germany between October 2020 and November 2023, using 1,690 patients with no history of atrial dysrhythmias who were scheduled for surgery. in addition to artery bypass grafting.
Of those, 843 were in the group with a “relaxed” standard for supplementation. A lower limit for potassium supplementation did not result in worse progression or increased heart disease, and the cost savings per patient in the “rested” group had a significant difference. amount of $ 111.89.
Paul Drury, MD, a board-certified cardiologist and medical director of electrophysiology at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA, who was not involved in the study, said. Medical News Today that potassium plays a very important role as an electrolyte for heart health.
“Potassium moves in and out of the heart cells every time the heart beats. When potassium levels are too low, people are at greater risk of heart disease including life-threatening ventricular fibrillation and even AFib. Potassium levels that are too high are also unsafe and can lead to a very slow heart rate and a condition called heart block. “Potassium levels that are too high can be fatal,” Drury said.
Maintaining a potassium level between 3.6 mEq/L and 5.5 mEq/L is good for overall cardiovascular health, he added.
“Allowing potassium levels to drop too low, often caused by medications, can increase the risk of AFib or increase the burden of AFib. There is a risk of taking too much potassium that can cause serious heart disease or even death.”
— Paul Drury, MD
Dr. Shephal Doshi, MD, a board-certified cardiac electrophysiologist and director of cardiac electrophysiology and pacing at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, who was also not involved in the study, said. Medical News Today that the amount of potassium that is considered “normal” for most people is very wide.
“Potassium (along with other electrolytes such as calcium and sodium and magnesium) is involved in the electrical activity of heart cells and the ‘normal level’ between 3.5 and 4.5 mEq/L is the blood plasma level of that which is thought to generally reflect stability. environment in heart cells,” said Doshi.
“This is a wide variety and, in any case, it can lead to electrical instability, especially in the lower end. This instability in the lower end is thought to reduce the resistance of the atrial cell of the heart to produce fibrillation,” he added.
Changes in electrical signals in the heart cause AFib. It can happen to anyone at any age, but is more common in older people.
Others
- Hypertension: Long-term high blood pressure can put pressure on the heart.
- Pulmonary embolism: This is the medical term for a blood clot in an artery that supplies blood to the lungs.
- Heart disease: People with low heart rates have a higher risk of AFib. These conditions include heart attack, stroke, heart attack and stroke.
- Alcohol consumption: Although drinking large amounts of alcohol always puts people at greater risk, even moderate amounts can be dangerous for some people. Some toxic drugs, such as methamphetamine, can also cause AFib.
- Family members with AFib: People with
family history of AFib may be more likely to develop this condition themselves. - Sleep apnea: This can increase a person’s risk of AFib, especially when it’s severe.
- Other chronic conditions: Some long-term health conditions — including thyroid problems, asthma, diabetes and obesity — can increase the risk.
Doshi also said that anyone who already has AFib is at high risk.
“Other risk factors such as a history of heart failure and weak heart muscle (cardiomyopathy) have been shown to put people at greater risk. Generally speaking, the cardiology department also tries to keep -electrolytes, especially potassium, are in the ‘above normal’ range as low levels have been thought to increase the risk of AFib,” he said.
#AFib #Potassium #supplements #reduce #risk #heart #surgery