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Having High Potassium Levels And Retention Of Water. Feeling Confused. What Could Be The Reason?
Question: My mother is 94 and recently released from the hospital with high potassium levels and retention of water. She has been home a couple of days. Today she is showing signs of confusion very badly. Could this be because her potassium has gone high again?
HI there,
Thanks for writing in.
I am a qualified and certified cardiologist and I read your question with diligence.
With multiple problems namely Congestive Heart Failure, Chronic Kidney Disease depending on fluid overload various other elements like Sodium, Magnesium and PH of blood is affected. Therefore, there is a differential in your mother:
1, Metabolic Encephalopathy
2. Cerebral vascular accident.
3. Meningitis- leading to encephalopathy, septicemia in 94 year old fever can be
absent
4. Again metabolic disequilibrium syndrome due to blood sugar/csf sugar mismatch. She is not a known diabetic therefore I am keeping it last.
My suggestion will be to take her to Emergency Room and have the basic diagnosis confirmed as treatment will depend upon that.
Take Care if there is further query, I will answer asap.
With Best Wishes
Dr Anil Grover,
Cardiologist
M.B.;B.S, M.D. (Internal Medicine) D.M.(Cardiology)
http://www/ WWW.WWWW.WW
Thanks for writing in.
I am a qualified and certified cardiologist and I read your question with diligence.
With multiple problems namely Congestive Heart Failure, Chronic Kidney Disease depending on fluid overload various other elements like Sodium, Magnesium and PH of blood is affected. Therefore, there is a differential in your mother:
1, Metabolic Encephalopathy
2. Cerebral vascular accident.
3. Meningitis- leading to encephalopathy, septicemia in 94 year old fever can be
absent
4. Again metabolic disequilibrium syndrome due to blood sugar/csf sugar mismatch. She is not a known diabetic therefore I am keeping it last.
My suggestion will be to take her to Emergency Room and have the basic diagnosis confirmed as treatment will depend upon that.
Take Care if there is further query, I will answer asap.
With Best Wishes
Dr Anil Grover,
Cardiologist
M.B.;B.S, M.D. (Internal Medicine) D.M.(Cardiology)
http://www/ WWW.WWWW.WW
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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