A Systematic Evaluation of Online Materials for Managing Hyperkalemia through Dietary Approaches in Individuals with Chronic Kidney Disease
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Authors
Akter, Masuda
Issue Date
2025
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Chronic Kidney Disease , Diet , Hyperkalemia , Online Resources
Alternative Title
Abstract
Background: Hyperkalemia, a potentially life-threatening complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD), requires precise management to minimize adverse outcomes. Despite the growing reliance on online health resources, the consistency and reliability of dietary recommendations remain questionable. This study aims to systematically evaluate the quality and coherence of online dietary resources for hyperkalemia management in CKD.Methods: A systematic review of online dietary resources was conducted using Google and Bing search engines. Eight predefined search terms focusing on potassium-specific diet therapy in CKD were used to retrieve relevant patient-facing resources. The top 50 search results for each term were screened. Inclusion criteria required resources to address dietary potassium in hyperkalemia management, patient facing and written in English. Dietary recommendations were classified as "restricted," "recommended," or "mixed" across food categories, and dietary strategies. Additional data on publication source, author credentials, and publication date were collected.
Results: Among 800 initial results, 108 unique resources met inclusion criteria. These handouts reviewed 603 food items. The majority of resources focused on restricting high-potassium foods (n=402, 67%). Most resources were authored by healthcare professionals, including registered dietitians (31%) and medical doctors (18%), and originated from healthcare organizations (42%) and general health websites (33%).
Conclusion: This study highlights the continued focus on the restrictive low-potassium diets in online resources for hyperkalemia management, heavily limiting fruits and vegetables without considering other factors such as fiber and alkalinity. This narrow focus contrasts with emerging evidence supporting liberalized, plant-based approaches.