Hyperkalemia of 10.1 mmol/L without Electrocardiographic Abnormalities in a Patient with Rhabdomyolysis: A Case Report

Introduction Hyperkalemia is a life-threatening condition that can lead to electrocardiographic changes and cardiac arrest; to prevent and treat hyperkalemia, it is necessary to understand the underlying causes and correctly interpret the symptoms. The four most common causes of hyperkalemia are renal dysfunction, drugs that alter potassium secretion in the distal tubule, high dietary intake of potassium and increased potassium release from cells; on trauma patients the rhabdomyolysis is a leading cause of hyperkalemia. Case presentation This case involves a 36-year-old male patient who suffered severe trauma from a high-speed vehicle accident, resulting in multiple injuries and a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3/15. Initial assessment revealed critical airway compromise and significant hemodynamic instability. Laboratory tests indicated extreme hyperkalemia with a serum potassium level of 10.1 mmol/L and elevated creatine kinase (CK) levels, leading to a diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis. Notably, the patient exhibited no electrocardiographic changes typically associated with hyperkalemia. Emergency interventions included intubation, fluid resuscitation, and urgent hemodialysis, which successfully normalized potassium and CK levels over time. Conclusions This report emphasizes the importance of prompt recognition and management of hyperkalemia in trauma patients, highlighting a multidisciplinary approach to prevent severe complications and improve patient outcomes.