Our body needs minerals and nutrients to function properly and remain healthy. Potassium is one of the essential minerals and electrolytes for the body. Potassium is one of the electrolyte helps in keeping the blood pressure levels stable, helps in regulating heart contractions and functioning of muscles.
When there is a problem with the regular functioning of kidney, level of potassium can become too high as kidneys. Kidneys are responsible for filtering out important ions such as, sodium, potassium and calcium from the bloodstream. When kidneys are dysfunctional, there is an over load of potassium that the body cannot handle and that becomes the condition of hyperkalemia.

People who have high blood pressure are more prone to potassium levels being too high as the medicines used to lower high blood pressure can alter kidney function causing the potassium levels to rise.

Rhabdomyolysis can take potassium level too high and cause hyperkalemia. When you drink too much alcohol and take too many drugs, you can suffer from rhabdomyolysis, where your muscle fibers breakdown that leads to the release of potassium in the bloodstream.

There are ways to control if your level of potassium is too high in your body. If you have high potassium, then you are close to getting hyperkalemia unless you take measures to prevent it.

First step towards prevention of hyperkalemia is you watch all the medicines you are taking, if you are taking them. If there are symptoms of hyperkalemia like, tiredness or weakness, numbness, nausea or vomiting and trouble in breathing and chest pain, then tell your doctor about your existing medication. If the medicines you are taking can lead to high level of potassium then your doctor will tell you ways to prevent it.

Keeping a healthy and balanced diet will prevent you from such imbalances and diseases that come with it. You can prevent the levels of potassium from getting too high by avoiding foods that are rich in potassium. Bananas, lentils, peaches, nuts, potatoes, tomatoes, salmon, and watermelon are some examples of potassium rich food.
Switch to healthy cooking oil. Olive oil and coconut oil are healthy options. Also, avoid red meat and have lean meat instead. Increase your water intake to prevent hyperkalemia and exercise more often and make it your lifestyle.

It is better to prevent hyperkalemia then to get treatments done once you are diagnosed with it. If you see symptoms, then a wiser option would be to change your lifestyle to stop it from happening.