What is the relationship of Na and Potassium?

[swansonplace]

What is the relationship of Na and Potassium? Are they the inverse of each other? When one goes up the other goes down? What are the exceptions to this?

I know with renal failure oliguria the potassium and na are high. Also, during diuresis phase of renal failure, potassium is low in the body. So it seems that Na and Potassium in this case are going the same direction.

I am reviewing with Hurst Reviews.

[BBRANRN2013, ASN, RN]

Doesn't potassium follow sodium??

The only ones I know are inverse are phosphorus and calcium!!!!

[damrcngrl95]

Potassium is found at higher levels in the cell and is a transporter that helps with cellular regulation. When potassium leaves a cell an electrolyte balance must be maintained in the cell. The exchange seen will be 2 Na and 1 H for the 3 k that left the cell. So if you have low sodium then you see a low potassium too in the blood because you don't have the sodium to allow the potassium to leave the cell.

[chrisLVNb4RNnow]

Potassium has inverse relationship with Sodium

[blessedBSNRN]

What does No pee, No K means? Does that mean that there is K retention in the body if the client is not peeing? So if that's the case then K and Na has the same relationship. Coz you excrete Na thru peeing and when there is no pee there is no K.

And also, Kidney Failure causes hyperkalemia.

[vbarger28, BSN]

K and NA are VITAL for heart rhythms. They need one another, if there isn't enough NA to counterbalance the K, the heart beats faster and faster and the dysrythmias are deadly. When someone is lethally injected, they are injected with an overdose of K to stop the heart. Think of it that way. Same with if there is NOT enough K, NA has no one to exchange with, that also causes heart problems. In general, your NA and K are vital for heart function, that's why it is so important.

[vbarger28, BSN]

I remebered it this way too when I first started in nursing school:

NA and K are in a bad relationship together, once NA decides to leave K, K's heart breaks, and it dies from a 'broken heart' so to say, lol...

[cmedar20]

What does No pee, No K means? Does that mean that there is K retention in the body if the client is not peeing? So if that's the case then K and Na has the same relationship. Coz you excrete Na thru peeing and when there is no pee there is no K.

And also, Kidney Failure causes hyperkalemia.

With kidney failure urine output goes down. Since potassium is excreted by the kidneys then your potassium level will go up (hyperkalemia) if you not urinating. So always check your patient urine output when administering potassium. If the patient not making enough urine then potassium should not be given.

[blessedBSNRN]

With kidney failure urine output goes down. Since potassium is excreted by the kidneys then your potassium level will go up (hyperkalemia) if you not urinating. So always check your patient urine output when administering potassium. If the patient not making enough urine then potassium should not be given.

I see. But it's confusing what's their relationship. Since Na is excreted thru kidneys and with RF there's no / less urine output thus Hypernatremia and Hyperkalemia?

[cmedar20]

I see. But it's confusing what's their relationship. Since Na is excreted thru kidneys and with RF there's no / less urine output thus Hypernatremia and Hyperkalemia?

Well during the diuretic phase the patient is loosing both k and na (hypokalamia and hyponatremia). During the oliguric phase the patient is retaining k and na but the na is less concentrated since the patient is retaining volume thus place them at risk for hypervolemia.