Table 2.
Serum potassium levels influence the initial postresuscitation heart function and hemodynamic status.
| Total patients (n=479) | Serum potassium level | p value | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (K+ < 3.5, n=48) | Normal (K+ = 3.5–5, n=144) | High (K+ > 5, n=287) | |||
| Number (%) | Number (%) | Number (%) | Number (%) | ||
| Heart rate∗ | <0.001 | ||||
| Tachycardia | 121 (25.3) | 17 (35.4) | 43 (29.9) | 61 (21.3) | |
| Normal | 206 (43.0) | 23 (47.9) | 75 (52.1) | 108 (37.6) | |
| Bradycardia | 152 (31.7) | 8 (16.7) | 26 (18.0) | 118 (41.1) | |
| Blood pressure | 0.353 | ||||
| Hypertension | 149 (31.1) | 11 (22.9) | 49 (34.0) | 89 (31.0) | |
| Normal | 142 (29.6) | 16 (33.3) | 47 (32.6) | 79 (27.5) | |
| Hypotension | 188 (39.3) | 21 (43.8) | 48 (33.4) | 119 (41.5) | |
| Heart rhythm∗ | 0.001 | ||||
| Sinus rhythm | 291 (60.8) | 33 (68.8) | 103 (71.5) | 155 (54.0) | |
| Nonsinus rhythm | 188 (39.2) | 15 (31.2) | 41 (28.5) | 132 (46.0) | |
| Urine output (median)∗ | <0.001 | ||||
| >1 (ml/kg/hr) | 174 (36.3) | 35 (72.9) | 51 (35.4) | 88 (30.7) | |
| <1 (ml/kg/hr) | 305 (63.7) | 13 (27.1) | 93 (64.6) | 199 (69.3) | |
| Blood pH∗ | |||||
| Acidosis (<7.35) | 374 (78.1) | 20 (41.7) | 102 (70.8) | 252 (87.8) | <0.001 |
| Nonacidosis (>7.35) | 105 (21.9) | 28 (58.3) | 42 (29.2) | 35 (12.2) | |
∗Significant factors; the serum K+ level is given in units of mmol/L.