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Successful Conversion from Conventional Potassium Binder to Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate in a Patient with
Teruhiko Imamura1, Koichiro Kinugawa1
1The Second Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Abstract:
Potassium binders are essential tools to treat hyperkalemia, particularly in patients with heart failure and chronic kidney disease. One of the drug-related complications is constipation, which further worsens heart failure by increasing afterload and decreases patients' quality of life. We encountered an 82-year-old man with heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and hyperkalemia. A conventional potassium binder, calcium polystyrene sulfonate, ameliorated his hyperkalemia, whereas he became aware of refractory constipation. A conversion to a newly-introduced specific potassium binder, sodium zirconium cyclosilicate, improved persistent constipation, maintaining serum potassium levels within a normal range. Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate might be a preferable potassium binder to treat hyperkalemia, particularly in patients with heart failure and chronic kidney disease and those suffering from constipation.
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