When cardiac arrest occurs and serum potassium is at or above 6.5 mmol/L, hyperkalaemia must be actively considered as the precipitating cause. Recognising this at or near the time of arrest opens a narrow window for targeted intervention alongside resuscitation.
Cardiac arrest where hyperkalaemia (serum K⁺ ≥ 6.5 mmol/L) is the known or suspected cause. When this potassium threshold is reached before or early in the resuscitation attempt, hyperkalaemia should be considered the potential underlying aetiology driving the arrest.
Management integrates with standard advanced life support practice. Both intravenous calcium and an insulin-glucose combination are among the key acute interventions in this setting. The complete sequence, additional steps, and criteria for each intervention are detailed in the full structured protocol.