Hyperkalaemia and hypokalaemia outpatient management: a survey of 500 French general practitioners

Abstract Aims How general practitioners (GPs) manage dyskalaemia is currently unknown. This study aimed at describing GP practices regarding hypokalaemia or hyperkalaemia diagnosis and management in their outpatients. Methods and results A telephone survey was conducted among French GPs with a 20‐it...

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Main Authors: Laure Abensur Vuillaume, Patrick Rossignol, Zohra Lamiral, Nicolas Girerd, Jean‐Marc Boivin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-10-01
Series:ESC Heart Failure
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.12834
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author Laure Abensur Vuillaume
Patrick Rossignol
Zohra Lamiral
Nicolas Girerd
Jean‐Marc Boivin
author_facet Laure Abensur Vuillaume
Patrick Rossignol
Zohra Lamiral
Nicolas Girerd
Jean‐Marc Boivin
author_sort Laure Abensur Vuillaume
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Aims How general practitioners (GPs) manage dyskalaemia is currently unknown. This study aimed at describing GP practices regarding hypokalaemia or hyperkalaemia diagnosis and management in their outpatients. Methods and results A telephone survey was conducted among French GPs with a 20‐item questionnaire (16 closed‐ended questions and 12 open‐ended questions) regarding their usual management of hypokalaemia or hyperkalaemia patients, both broadly and more specifically in patients with heart failure and/or chronic kidney disease and/or in patients treated with angiotensin‐converting enzyme/angiotensin receptor blockers or mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. We aimed to interview 500 GPs spread geographically throughout France. This descriptive survey results are presented as mean ± standard deviation (if normally distributed or as median and inter‐quartile range if the distribution was skewed). Categorical variables are expressed as frequencies and proportions (%). A total of 500 GPs participated in the study. Dyskalaemia thresholds (for diagnosis and intervention) and management patterns were highly heterogeneous. The mean ± SD (range) potassium level leading to ‘intervene’ was 5.32 ± 0.34 mmol/L (4.5–6.5) for hyperkalaemia and 3.23 ± 0.34 mmol/L (2.0–6.5) for hypokalaemia. Potassium levels leading to refer the patient to the emergency department (ED) were 6.14 ± 0.55 (4.5–10) and 2.69 ± 0.42 mmol/L (1–4), respectively. Potassium binders (51–65%) or potassium supplements (67–74%) were frequently used to manage hyperkalaemia or hypokalaemia. GPs uncommonly referred their dyskalaemic patients to cardiologists or nephrologists (or to the emergency department, if the latter was deemed necessary owing to the severity of the dyskalaemia). We identified an association between the close vicinity of GP office from an ED and ‘referring a heart failure patient’ (19.2% with ED vs. 8.6% without ED) and referring a heart failure and chronic kidney disease patient on mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (16.7% with ED vs. 9.3% without ED). Although the majority (67%) of GPs had an electrocardiogram on hand, it was rarely used (14%) in dyskalaemic patients. Subgroup analyses considering gender, age of the participating GPs, and high‐income/low‐income regions did not identify specific patterns regarding the multidimensional aspect of dyskalaemia management. Conclusions Owing to the considerable heterogeneity of French GP practices toward dyskalaemia diagnosis and management approaches, there is a likely need to standardize (potentially enabled by therapeutic algorithms) practices.
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spelling doaj.art-ff49eb33e85f4a4daf52946927f9f7522022-12-21T18:44:07ZengWileyESC Heart Failure2055-58222020-10-01752042205010.1002/ehf2.12834Hyperkalaemia and hypokalaemia outpatient management: a survey of 500 French general practitionersLaure Abensur Vuillaume0Patrick Rossignol1Zohra Lamiral2Nicolas Girerd3Jean‐Marc Boivin4Université de Lorraine, Inserm, Centre d'Investigations Cliniques, Plurithématique 1433, and Inserm 1116 DCAC, CHRU, F‐CRIN INI‐CRCT (Cardiovascular and Renal Clinical Trialists) Nancy FranceUniversité de Lorraine, Inserm, Centre d'Investigations Cliniques, Plurithématique 1433, and Inserm 1116 DCAC, CHRU, F‐CRIN INI‐CRCT (Cardiovascular and Renal Clinical Trialists) Nancy FranceUniversité de Lorraine, Inserm, Centre d'Investigations Cliniques, Plurithématique 1433, and Inserm 1116 DCAC, CHRU, F‐CRIN INI‐CRCT (Cardiovascular and Renal Clinical Trialists) Nancy FranceUniversité de Lorraine, Inserm, Centre d'Investigations Cliniques, Plurithématique 1433, and Inserm 1116 DCAC, CHRU, F‐CRIN INI‐CRCT (Cardiovascular and Renal Clinical Trialists) Nancy FranceUniversité de Lorraine, Inserm, Centre d'Investigations Cliniques, Plurithématique 1433, and Inserm 1116 DCAC, CHRU, F‐CRIN INI‐CRCT (Cardiovascular and Renal Clinical Trialists) Nancy FranceAbstract Aims How general practitioners (GPs) manage dyskalaemia is currently unknown. This study aimed at describing GP practices regarding hypokalaemia or hyperkalaemia diagnosis and management in their outpatients. Methods and results A telephone survey was conducted among French GPs with a 20‐item questionnaire (16 closed‐ended questions and 12 open‐ended questions) regarding their usual management of hypokalaemia or hyperkalaemia patients, both broadly and more specifically in patients with heart failure and/or chronic kidney disease and/or in patients treated with angiotensin‐converting enzyme/angiotensin receptor blockers or mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. We aimed to interview 500 GPs spread geographically throughout France. This descriptive survey results are presented as mean ± standard deviation (if normally distributed or as median and inter‐quartile range if the distribution was skewed). Categorical variables are expressed as frequencies and proportions (%). A total of 500 GPs participated in the study. Dyskalaemia thresholds (for diagnosis and intervention) and management patterns were highly heterogeneous. The mean ± SD (range) potassium level leading to ‘intervene’ was 5.32 ± 0.34 mmol/L (4.5–6.5) for hyperkalaemia and 3.23 ± 0.34 mmol/L (2.0–6.5) for hypokalaemia. Potassium levels leading to refer the patient to the emergency department (ED) were 6.14 ± 0.55 (4.5–10) and 2.69 ± 0.42 mmol/L (1–4), respectively. Potassium binders (51–65%) or potassium supplements (67–74%) were frequently used to manage hyperkalaemia or hypokalaemia. GPs uncommonly referred their dyskalaemic patients to cardiologists or nephrologists (or to the emergency department, if the latter was deemed necessary owing to the severity of the dyskalaemia). We identified an association between the close vicinity of GP office from an ED and ‘referring a heart failure patient’ (19.2% with ED vs. 8.6% without ED) and referring a heart failure and chronic kidney disease patient on mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (16.7% with ED vs. 9.3% without ED). Although the majority (67%) of GPs had an electrocardiogram on hand, it was rarely used (14%) in dyskalaemic patients. Subgroup analyses considering gender, age of the participating GPs, and high‐income/low‐income regions did not identify specific patterns regarding the multidimensional aspect of dyskalaemia management. Conclusions Owing to the considerable heterogeneity of French GP practices toward dyskalaemia diagnosis and management approaches, there is a likely need to standardize (potentially enabled by therapeutic algorithms) practices.https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.12834General practitionersHyperkalaemiaHypokalaemiaHeart failureChronic kidney disease/ mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist
spellingShingle Laure Abensur Vuillaume
Patrick Rossignol
Zohra Lamiral
Nicolas Girerd
Jean‐Marc Boivin
Hyperkalaemia and hypokalaemia outpatient management: a survey of 500 French general practitioners
ESC Heart Failure
General practitioners
Hyperkalaemia
Hypokalaemia
Heart failure
Chronic kidney disease/ mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist
title Hyperkalaemia and hypokalaemia outpatient management: a survey of 500 French general practitioners
title_full Hyperkalaemia and hypokalaemia outpatient management: a survey of 500 French general practitioners
title_fullStr Hyperkalaemia and hypokalaemia outpatient management: a survey of 500 French general practitioners
title_full_unstemmed Hyperkalaemia and hypokalaemia outpatient management: a survey of 500 French general practitioners
title_short Hyperkalaemia and hypokalaemia outpatient management: a survey of 500 French general practitioners
title_sort hyperkalaemia and hypokalaemia outpatient management a survey of 500 french general practitioners
topic General practitioners
Hyperkalaemia
Hypokalaemia
Heart failure
Chronic kidney disease/ mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.12834
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