Prevalence of Hyperkalemia in a Cohort of Patients with Heart Failure with Reduced EjectionFraction in a Specialized Unit

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Abstract

Background: Hyperkalemia is a common condition in patients with heart failure (HF), impacting treatment and prognosis.
However, its prevalence and risk factors in our region are not clearly defined.
Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of hyperkalemia in a specialized HF unit and its association
with clinical and pharmacological variables.
Methods: An observational, analytical, and retrospective study was conducted including 693 patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) treated at the Multidisciplinary Heart Failure Unit (UMIC) of a university hospital between 2018 and 2022. Hyperkalemia was defined as serum potassium > 5.0 mEq/L and classified according to tis level,
as mild (>5.0–<5.5 mEq/L), moderate (5.5–6.0 mEq/L), or severe (>6.0 mEq/L). Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests were used to assess associations.
Results: The prevalence of hyperkalemia was 27%, with a predominance of mild cases (85%). A significant association was found with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but not with diabetes. No significant relationship was either found with the use of disease-modifying drugs, including renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors.
Conclusions: The prevalence of hyperkalemia in this cohort is high and is primarily associated with CKD. The absence of an association with disease-modifying treatments reinforces the importance of continuing these therapies, given their role in improving morbidity and mortality in HFrEF.