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Thursday, May 13, 2010 – Daily News – 5A FEATURES Hyperkalemia puzzles reader Mom picks addict over daughter DEAR DR. GOTT: Please explain to me what causes high potassium levels. I have been diag- nosed with high potassium, but don’t know exact- ly how high it is or the cause. When I watched my diet, the levels came down. cause a breakdown of muscle fibers, resulting in the release of potassi- um into the blood- stream. Dr. Peter Gott DEAR READER: The technical name for high potassium is hyper- kalemia. Normal readings are between 3.6 and 4.8 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L) determined by simple lab testing. The most common causes are related to the kidneys and include either acute kidney failure or chronic kidney failure. Less common causes are type I diabetes, the exces- sive use of alcohol, Addi- son’s disease, ACE inhibitors, red-blood-cell destruction, NSAIDs and an excessive use of sup- plements containing potassium. Let’s hit on these briefly. Kidney failure is the inability of the kidneys to function properly. Acute failure is marked by low amounts of urine with a rapid buildup of nitrogen waste in the blood. Causes include acute infection, a blocked urinary tract, injury, burns and other causes. Chronic failure can be the result of many dis- eases. Type I (insulin-depen- dent) diabetes is caused either by failure of the pancreas to release ade- quate insulin into the body or by a defect in the por- tions of the cells that accept the insulin. Excessive alcohol con- sumption or drug use can Addison’s dis- ease is caused by partial or complete failure of the adrenal gland, which is responsi- ble for many bodi- ly functions. Causes include infection, bleeding into the gland and tumor. Ace inhibitors are drugs prescribed for sever- al purposes, one of which is to lower blood pressure readings. Unfortunately, some individuals with renal-artery narrowing can experience a worsening of kidney function. Red-blood-cell destruction can occur because of a number of conditions and diseases. This autoimmune disorder can either be inherited or acquired. NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are available over-the- counter for control of headaches, mild to moder- ate pain from exercise such as gardening or sports injuries, fever, men- strual cramps and more. Examples include aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. If you are consuming NSAIDs, speak with your physician regarding other options. Potassium deficiency is rare with a balanced diet, but excesses are certainly a possibility if supple- ments are taken. Average intake for individuals 10 and over is 2,000 mg. or 51 Meq per day. This essential mineral is readily available in many foods, including salmon, cod, chicken, broccoli, peas, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, potatoes and potato skins, apples, avocadoes, bananas and a great deal more. Potassium regulates acidity, water balance and blood pressure. Not all vit- amin supplements contain potassium so label reading is vital. Should you be on a supplement and con- sume a regular healthful diet, this alone might be the cause for your hyper- kalemia. If you don’t consume additional potassium, speak with your physician to rule out other possible causes. To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Vitamins & Min- erals.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my web- site at www.AskDr- GottMD.com. Dr. Peter H. Gott is a retired physician and the author of several books, including “Live Longer, Live Better,” “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet” and “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook,” which are available at most bookstores or online. His website is www.AskDrGottMD.com. Gayle’s 100% Cotton Summer Sleep Wear at 649 Main Street Downtown Red Bluff Anniversary Special: FREE Regular or N.G. glass with all custom frames during May. Must persent this ad. Offer Expries 5/31/10. Oversize glass not included 857 Washington St. red bluff 530-527-3369 Now Available Organic & Heirloom Spring Vegetable Plants 1 1/2 miles South of Red Bluff 12645 Hwy 99E (530) 529-2546 Dear Annie: My brother has been a drug addict for the better part of 30 years. When he comes off a binge, he usually loses a job, a car and sometimes his living arrangements. My mom always cleans up his messes. She lets him move in for several days so he can eat nonstop and sleep all day. She pays his traffic tickets and gets his car out of the impound lot. She has stood in line to get his food stamps and has taken him to buy food and clothing. When drugs caused my brother to lose most of his teeth in his late 40s, Mom spent several thousand dollars to have partials made to fit his mouth. Both my sister and I suf- fer because Mom spends so much time trying to make him ‘‘better.’’ Our dad died a few years ago, and Mom was lonely. Since I am single, without children, I moved in with her. The arrange- ment works well for both of us. However, the last time my brother came to the house, I made a casual remark that he was undoubtedly eating so much because he was coming down from a drug high. My mother looked at me with pure hatred and told me that I am ‘‘ugly, horrible and rotten.’’ I said it isn’t fair that both my sister and I are not allowed to express our feelings about our brother’s drug use. Mom went on for another 15 min- utes repeating how awful I am, and that I am so much worse than my brother. Annie’s Mailbox She treats my sister the exact same way. How can I get Mom to see that by enabling one child, she is deeply hurting the other two? — At a Loss Dear At a Loss: Your mother is not ready to accept that her son is a drug addict and she is an enabler. Until she is, any negative comment you make about your brother will provoke her to defend him. Don’t criticize him. Instead, try to open Mom’s eyes to the harm she is doing not only to you, but to her son. Please contact Nar-Anon (nar- anon.org) for families and friends of drug addicts at 1-800- 477-6291, or Fam- ilies Anonymous (fami- liesanonymous.org) at 1- 800-736-9805. Dear Annie: I am a single, childless 50-year- old woman. I’m in a dead- end job and looking to make changes in my life. I want to go back to school, but do not have the by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar time due to my work schedule. I would like to fos- ter wild baby ani- mals that are par- entless and care for them until they are old enough to be set free. How can I find out about this line of work? I do not own a home, so I am able to move out of state. — Florida Dear Florida: Foster- ing wild animals requires training and can be expen- sive to do on your own. You might have better luck working with a wildlife organization or animal sanctuary. Check online or in your phone book. You also can foster less exotic animals that need good, loving homes. Contact the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (aspca.org), 424 E. 92nd St., New York, NY 10128-6804. Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.n et, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. 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