Patient Focus Group on Hyperkalemia Management

Managing potassium is critical for hyperkalemia prevention in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, guidelines in this area are inconsistent and slow to change. Furthermore, professionals may put guidelines into practice differently.

A group from the American Kidney Fund (AKF), led by Sheena Patel, conducted two focus groups of patients with CKD to help detect gaps in HK management knowledge from a patient perspective. They presented the findings at the National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meetings 2024.

Two groups were surveyed in 2023: one with a history of HK, and the other absent a history of HK. Eight patients were recruited through convenience sampling varying in age, gender, race, educational background, and CKD stage.

The researchers thematically analyzed transcripts of recordings of the focus groups. They uncovered four themes: (1) patients with HK had a high understanding of the condition focused on dietary management, while those without HK had moderate comprehension of it but could not provide specifics; (2) patients commonly had questions regarding the causes of HK and dietary recommendations and choices; (3) people with HK manage it primarily through dietary changes, such as eating low-potassium foods and avoiding those high in potassium; (4) patients preferred to access educational materials online or receive them in print or electronic form from their health care providers.

There was less awareness of medication options for HK than management through dietary changes. Based on the focus group findings, the AKF developed a short booklet explaining HK guidelines and providing information on helpful lifestyle factors that patients sought. “Future research should assess the utilization of the patient-facing material and their effect on patient outcomes,” the AKF researchers wrote.

Source: Patel S, Woolley R, Paris M, Spigler M. Patient perspective of hyperkalemia management: a focus group study. Presented at the National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meetings 2024; May 14-18, 2024; Long Beach, California.