A Comparative Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Furosemide Versus Calcium Polystyrene Sulphonate in Managing Hyperkalemia

Abstract

Introduction: Hyperkalemia is a life-threatening electrolyte disorder that is typical of patients with cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Otherwise, it may lead to serious complications such as neuromuscular disorders and heart arrhythmias. Potassium-lowering therapy is therefore an important one in clinical practice. The current study was to compare the safety and efficacy between Furosemide and Calcium Polystyrene Sulphonate used in hyperkalemia treatment and to determine the most reliable therapeutic agent.Materials and Methods: It was a prospective and comparative study in six months in the department of nephrology in Durgabai Deshmukh Hospital and Research centre, Hyderabad. Hundred adult (100) patients with hyperkalemia (over 6.0 mmol/L in serum potassium-level) were recruited and divided into two. One was placed on Furosemide and the other on Calcium Polystyrene Sulphonate. Three days were used to evaluate the reaction to the treatment and safety by evaluating the potassium levels in serum. The case history of the patients and lab reports were used to collect the data, which was analyzed with the help of the corresponding statistical analysis. Results and Discussion: The treatment groups in the changes in the serum potassium levels between the two treatment groups over time showed statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). On Day 3, the potassium concentration in the Calcium Polystyrene Sulphonate group was 4.560 + 0.2558 mmol/L as compared to 6.763 + 0.4059 mmol/L on Day 1. In contrast, the Furosemide group showed a reduction from 6.688 ± 0.2761 mmol/L to 5.444 ± 0.1862 mmol/L. The average of the differences revealed that the Calcium Polystyrene Sulphonate was more rapid, sustained and dependable in the potassium-lowering effect specifically in cases where the kidney functions of the patients were compromised. No serious adverse events and the agents were tolerated in the study.Conclusion: Calcium Polystyrene Sulphonate as well as Furosemide were reported to be effective and safe in the management of hyperkalemia. However, Calcium Polystyrene Sulphonate was more efficient to achieve a greater and a lesser decrease in serum potassium levels quicker. Its protracted maintenance of potassium levels is especially useful in chronic kidney disease patients. These findings support its privileged use in clinical practice, yet the necessity to employ personalized therapy and observe it is significant.

Keywords: Calcium Polystyrene Sulphonate; Electrolyte imbalance; Furosemide; Hyperkalemia; Potassium-lowering agents; Renal disease