Hyperkalemic emergency − Patients who have clinical signs or symptoms of hyperkalemia (eg, muscle weakness or paralysis, cardiac conduction abnormalities, cardiac arrhythmias), patients with severe hyperkalemia (serum potassium >6.5 mEq/L), and patients with moderate hyperkalemia (serum potassium >5.5 mEq/L) plus significant renal impairment and ongoing tissue breakdown or potassium absorption) have a hyperkalemic emergency. • Patients needing prompt therapy − Some patients with moderate hyperkalemia but without a hyperkalemic emergency should, nonetheless, have their potassium lowered promptly (ie, within 6 to 12 hours) . Such patients include hemodialysis patients who present outside of regular dialysis hours, patients with marginal renal function and/or marginal urine output, or hyperkalemic patients who need to be optimized for surgery. • Patients who can have the potassium lowered slowly − Most patients with hyperkalemia have chronic, mild (≤5.5 mEq/L) o