Chronic Kidney Disease, Hyperkalemia and Echocardiographic Changes

In this study, the ECG and echocardiography (ECHO) findings in patients with chronic kidney failure who present to the Etlik City Hospital Emergency Medicine Department will be recorded and compared with literature. Echocardiography is a rapid, reliable, and non-invasive examination widely used by physicians for the monitoring of critically ill patients in emergency departments and intensive care units worldwide.

For patients with known chronic kidney failure brought to the emergency department, a blood sample (blood gas and/or biochemistry) will be taken for potassium measurement. Subsequently, an ECG, which is a quick and non-invasive test, will be performed, followed by an ECHO, also a quick and non-invasive test, conducted by an experienced physician. The physician performing the ECHO will not be involved in the treatment process. ECG and ECHO findings will be recorded and compared before and after treatment. Patient mortality will be monitored at 24 hours, 7 days, and 30 days, and other causes of mortality will be excluded. The relationship between ECG and ECHO findings and mortality will be statistically investigated.

Based on the premise that hyperkalemia can cause cardiac arrest during diastole, it is hypothesized that there may be right ventricular enlargement in patients with ECG findings indicative of hyperkalemia. In animal studies, echocardiography results during resuscitation have shown right ventricular enlargement in animals with hyperkalemia. Based on this information, we believe that echocardiography findings in hyperkalemic patients may be associated with mortality, and that the combined use of echocardiography and ECG may be effective in predicting mortality

Inclusion criteria

• Patients over 18 years old
• Chronic kidney disease patients with eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m²
• Patients with hyperkalemia detected in the emergency department
• Patients willing to participate in the study and who sign the consent form

Exclusion criteria

• Patients under 18 years old
• Patients who do not wish to participate in the study
• Patients without chronic kidney damage
• Patients without detected hyperkalemia
• Patients needing cardiopulmonary resuscitation due to hyperkalemia