title: Wide-complex tachycardia associated with severe hyperkalemia in three cats.
abstract: The well recognized cardiac effects of severe hyperkalemia include progressive rhythm and conduction disturbances such as bradycardia, spiked and narrow T waves, widening QRS complex, widening and flattening P wave, disappearance of the P wave, and cardiac arrest. Paradoxically, a heart rate greater than 200 beats/min may coexist with hyperkalemia in some cats. This report describes three cats with moderate to severe hyperkalemia and concurrent rapid heart rate. In each cat, the serum potassium (K(+)) concentration was > or =7.5 mEq/dl with a concurrent heart rate > 200 beats/min. In each cat, nine-lead electrocardiograms demonstrate an absence of P waves and a wide-complex tachycardia. Hyperkalemia should be considered in the differential diagnosis when a feline electrocardiogram demonstrates a wide-complex tachycardia without identifiable P waves.
authors.affiliation: California Animal Hospital, 1736 South Sepulveda Boulevard, Suite B, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA. normandvm@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Brian C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Côté
authors.forename: Kirstie A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Barrett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002415:Cats; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006947:Hyperkalemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D011188:Potassium