Progressive Care Nursing Certification (PCCN) Practice Exam

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What medication is used to remove potassium from the body in hyperkalemic patients?

Sodium bicarbonate
Calcium chloride
Glucose and insulin infusion
Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate)

The correct answer is: Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate)

Sodium polystyrene sulfonate, commonly known as Kayexalate, is a medication specifically designed to treat hyperkalemia, which is an elevated level of potassium in the blood. The mechanism of action involves exchanging sodium for potassium in the intestine, effectively removing excess potassium from the body through the stool. This exchange reduces serum potassium levels and helps to prevent the potentially life-threatening complications associated with hyperkalemia, such as cardiac arrhythmias. While other treatments may assist in the management of hyperkalemia, they do not directly remove potassium from the body in the same manner as Kayexalate. For example, sodium bicarbonate can help shift potassium into cells temporarily, calcium chloride can stabilize the cardiac membrane but does not remove potassium, and glucose and insulin infusion facilitate potassium movement into cells as well, again not removing it from the body. Therefore, Kayexalate is uniquely suited for the specific goal of reducing elevated serum potassium levels in a hyperkalemic patient by its direct action in the gastrointestinal tract.