Recent advances in pharmacological treatments of hyperkalemia: focus on patiromer

Hyperkalemia is a common electrolyte disorder, especially among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes mellitus, or heart failure, and is associated with a significantly increased risk for all-cause mortality. Hyperkalemia remains a vexing and challenging problem for clinicians, particularly in the management of patients with chronic kidney disease and congestive heart failure. Several observational and retrospective studies have reported a large gap between recommendations in guidelines and real-world practice in the implementation of RAASi therapies. RAASi treatment regimens are frequently down-titrated or discontinued following hyperkalemia events, with consequent worse outcomes than patients who remain on maximum doses.

This review covers the preclinical and clinical studies that led to the approval of patiromer for the treatment of hyperkalemia. A literature search on patiromer was carried out using the PubMed database up to December 2015.

Recently, patiromer was approved by the FDA as the first new potassium binder for the treatment of hyperkalemia in over 50 years. Based on the results of phase II and phase III studies, we conclude that patiromer is a well-tolerated and predictable medication to consistently and safely reduce serum potassium levels and to sustain normokalemia for periods up to 52 weeks in patients with diverse underlying diseases including congestive heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. Future research questions that should be evaluated are: the role of patiromer in treating hyperkalemia and the potential to thereby allow the optimal management of resistant hypertension and the use of high dose MRAs in patients with acute decompensated heart failure. Additional research is also warranted in the potential safety benefits of reducing potassium fluctuations in patients on hemodialysis as a result of treatment of hyperkalemia with patiromer.