Effects of acute elevation of serum potassium and sodium concentrations on the canine electrocardiogram

Sodium is the secret re-agent of bicarbonate therapy during hyperkalemia

“…3 Moreover, in dogs, hypertonic sodium chloride injection concomitant to extracellular potassium elevation preserved cardiac conduction, despite kalemia peaking up to 15 mmol/l. 4 Taken together, this suggests that during severe hyperkalemia, the use of hypertonic saline solution corrects cardiac l e t t e r s t o t h e e d i t o r w w w . k i d n e y -i n t e r n a t i o n a l .…”