#EPeeps Brief 🧵 on beta blocker hyperkalemia which is unfamiliar to many
The mechanism is the opposite of why we use albuterol to treat hyperkalemia - beta receptor modulation of Na K ATPase, the sodium potassium exchange channel [1/]
Beta blockers rarely cause hyperkalemia in isolation, but can contribute in at-risk patients.
The patient who prompted this discussion (see link) had complex multi-system illness. Ectopy was exacerbated by diuretic-induced hypoK so had MRA + scheduled enteral KCl [2/]
One day, because of hypoK on labs, he received IV KCl replacement almost concurrent with scheduled enteral KCl… probably would not have been a big deal, except for propranolol impairing ability to transport extracellular K intracellular [3/]