Importance of early electrocardiographic recognition and timely management of hyperkalemia in geriatric patients.

Hyperkalemia is a potentially life-threatening electrolyte imbalance that can be difficult to diagnose due to the paucity of specific signs and symptoms. Because hyperkalemia can lead to sudden death from cardiac arrhythmias and asystole, any patient whose history, physical examination or laboratory studies raise clinical suspicion of hyperkalemia requires an immediate 12-lead electrocardiogram to ascertain whether electrocardiographic …