Gastrointestinal potassium binding in hemodialysis

Abstract

Hyperkalemia in patients on dialysis is associated with an increased mortality rate. Dietary restriction is often not effective and deprives patients of heart-healthy foods. Lowering the dialysate K+ concentration can potentially increase the risk of arrhythmias. In this commentary, we discuss the findings of Amdur et al., and the potential use for K+-binding drugs as a strategy to maintain plasma K+ concentrations within a narrow and normal range during the interdialytic and intradialytic intervals.