[Potassium in renal disease]

Abstract

Background: Hypokalemia and hyperkalemia are among the most common disturbances of the electrolyte status.

Patients and results: Since the regulation of the potassium homeostasis depends on normal renal function, patients with acute or chronic renal disease tend to develop such disturbances. The clinical consequences of hypokalemia or hyperkalemia are often severe and unforeseen, which is illustrated by respective case reports in this paper.

Conclusion: Due to the often severe clinical consequences of hypokalemia or hyperkalemia, these electrolyte disturbances deserve special diagnostic and therapeutic attention.