A member asked:

What mechanism that high potassium causes cardiac arrest? i just know high k+ causes hyper excitability of cells?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

Cell repolarization: When cardiac muscle cells fire, they use up part of the electrochemical gradient they maintain in life. They are repolarized by an outward potassium (K+) flux across the plasma membrane. This outward K+ current depends on the K+ electrochemical gradient. If the "outside" K+ (in blood & interstitial fluid) is very high, that destroys the K+ electrochemical gradient, the cells can't repol; they stop

Answered 8/28/2014

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