What are signs of high potassium?

Signs that a person has high potassium in the blood or hyperkalemia include an abnormal heart rhythm, a slow heart rate and weakness, according to WebMD. It is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be mild and due to different health problems.

Kidney disease is the most common cause of hyperkalemia because the kidneys do not remove excess potassium from the body, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. Treatments for hyperkalemia include medications, insulin and dialysis. If not treated properly, it may cause changes to the heart’s rhythm that lead to ventricular ventilation where the heart flutters rapidly instead of pumping blood.