[Use of salbutamol in the treatment of severe hyperkalemia in hemodialysed patients].

The possibility of obtaining a rapid fall of kalaemia in patients with renal failure under haemodialysis by injecting salbutamol intravenously in doses of 0.5 mg over 15 minutes was tested in 11 subjects. Kalaemia fell by 1.08 +/- 0.30 mmol in 30 minutes, 75 per cent of the effect being obtained at the end of the infusion. Malaise with tachycardia was frequent but always transient. Thus, a rapid infusion of salbutamol seems to be well tolerated and effective against hyperkalaemia, provided two contra-indications are observed: coronary disease and treatment with beta-blockers.