[Hyperkalemia-induced failure of pacemaker capture and sensing: a case report].

Hyperkalemia may induce serious cardiac arrhythmia, with possible life-threatening effects. It may cause cardiac pacemaker (PMK) malfunctioning due to a reduction of the electronegativity of the resting myocardial potential. We report the case of a 71-year-old woman who had a previous history of chronic heart failure, chronic renal failure and DDI pacemaker. She was admitted for disturbance of consciousness. During hospitalization, she was observed for extreme hypotension, acute hyperkalemia, ventricular escape rhythm, associated with failure of pacemaker capture and sensing. She was treated with calcium chloride injection, followed by insulin/glucose and sodium bicarbonate infusions; the electrocardiogram recordings showed an correction of the PMK malfunctioning and serial improvement of the intraventricular conduction. This case supports that hyperkalemia should be closely monitored in the chronic heart failure patients combined with chronic renal failure.