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  • Title: Apparent hyperkalaemia from blood sampled from an arterial cannula.
    Author: Mehta V, Ahmed Z.
    Journal: Br J Anaesth; 2004 Sep; 93(3):456-8. PubMed ID: 15194630.
    Abstract:
    Blood samples were obtained from a radial artery cannula in a 60-yr-old man during coronary artery surgery. Serum potassium concentrations of 9.3, 8.4, and 7.4 mmol litre(-1) were obtained. A simultaneous venous blood sample gave a serum potassium concentration of 4.4 mmol litre(-1). The ECG was unchanged. After the arterial cannula was repositioned, subsequent blood samples gave expected ranges of serum potassium concentration. We suggest that the initial arterial cannula position caused a high shear rate in the blood when samples were withdrawn, causing haemolysis and hyperkalaemia.
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