AKF Issues Patient Guidelines for Managing Hyperkalemia

The American Kidney Fund (AKF), with support from AstraZeneca, has introduced patient-facing guidelines to help individuals with chronic kidney disease manage and treat hyperkalemia. Kidney disease is the most common cause of this potentially life-threatening elevation of potassium levels.

The guidelines, which are available in both English and Spanish, include information on checking potassium levels, hyperkalemia symptoms, medicines, and dietary advice. They also feature tips to help patients adhere to the plan created by their provider.

“Managing hyperkalemia can be overwhelming and stressful,” said AKF President and Chief Executive Officer LaVarne A. Burton. “These guidelines will help people with hyperkalemia understand the importance of keeping potassium at a healthy level and will give them the knowledge they need to take an active role in managing their health care.”

To develop the guidelines, AKF gathered input from both patients and professionals in focus groups and collaborated with medical experts to create evidence-based, health-literate content. Clinicians may refer patients to the AKF website to view, download, and print the guidelines.