Dialyzable Currents of Injury in Potassium Intoxication Resembling Acute Myocardial Infarction or Pericarditis

Abstract

A byproduct of experience with the artificial kidney was the detection of reversible electrocardiographic "currents of injury" in patients with electrolyte imbalance. These changes occurred irrespective of anatomic alterations and resembled the changes of acute pericarditis or myocardial infarction. The electrolyte basis for the "current of injury" was established by the prompt abolition of the RS-T segment elevations, when the electrolyte imbalance was corrected by means of artificial hemodialysis.