Induced Therapeutic Hyperkalemia as a Method for Treatment of Refractory Arrhythmias after Aortic Declamping in Cardiac Surgical Procedures: A Narrative Review

authors:

avatar Ali Dabbagh ORCID 1 , * , avatar Mahnoosh Foroughi 2 , avatar Alireza Imani ORCID 3

Professor of Cardiac Anesthesia; Editor in Chief, JCMA Anesthesiology Research Center Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
MD, Associate Professor, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, School of medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Journal of Cellular & Molecular Anesthesia: Vol.4, issue 3; e149587
article type: Brief Communications
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22037/jcma.v4i3.28166

how to cite: Dabbagh A, Foroughi M, Imani A. Induced Therapeutic Hyperkalemia as a Method for Treatment of Refractory Arrhythmias after Aortic Declamping in Cardiac Surgical Procedures: A Narrative Review. J Cell Mol Anesth. 2019;4(3):e149587. https://doi.org/10.22037/jcma.v4i3.28166.

Abstract

Cardiac surgical procedures are among the most complex operations with a detailed list of perioperative care. Weaning from CPB is associated with a number of disturbances in cardiac rhythm. One of the most challenging cardiac rhythm disturbances is the ventricular arrhythmia (tachycardia/fibrillation). Cardioversion and antiarrhythmic agents may be ineffective after aortic declamping; systemic hyperkalemia may be a therapeutic option. Here, we review the available studies regarding this issue and the possible underlying mechanisms of this therapeutic approach.