It’s important for people living with kidney disease to learn about potassium and to be aware of how much potassium they consume.  If you have kidney disease, you are at risk for high potassium because your kidneys cannot remove the extra potassium in your blood. Instead of leaving your body through your urine, the extra potassium in your blood travels through your kidneys and back into your bloodstream.

Potassium is a mineral that may be found in a variety of foods. It aids with the regularity of your heartbeat and the proper functioning of your muscles. Healthy kidneys are responsible for maintaining the proper quantity of potassium in your body. However, if you have chronic kidney disease (CKD), you may need to avoid foods that might raise the potassium level in your blood to dangerous levels. When your potassium levels are too high, it might lead to irregular heartbeats or a heart attack.