What medical treatment was initiated due to Keenan's missed dialysis treatment and high potassium level?

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When a patient is experiencing elevated potassium levels, especially after missing a scheduled dialysis treatment, immediate action is often required to prevent potentially life-threatening complications such as cardiac arrhythmias. High potassium levels, known as hyperkalemia, are particularly dangerous because they can interfere with the normal electrical activity of the heart.

In this scenario, the initiation of immediate dialysis is the appropriate medical treatment. Dialysis serves to effectively remove excess potassium along with other waste products from the bloodstream. The urgent need for dialysis in the context of missed treatments underscores the role of this procedure in managing patients with renal failure or those on long-term dialysis, as their kidneys cannot adequately excrete potassium.

While fluid restriction, medications for hypertension, and intravenous antibiotics might be considered in other clinical situations, they do not directly address the critical issue of hyperkalemia and its associated risks. For example, while fluid restriction might be important in managing fluid status, it wouldn't effectively lower potassium levels. Therefore, in the context of missed dialysis and the urgency of reducing hyperkalemia, immediate dialysis is the correct and necessary intervention.

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