Why is there ST segment shortening in hypercalemia?

Answer:
calcium helps in all muscle function, including heart. in hypercalcemia, the heart will contract abnormally, in fact can stop completely.

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Well..this is going to be long, sorry. A tall peaked and symmetrical T wave is the first change seen on the ECG in a patient with hyperkalemia. There is progressive slowing of impulse conduction through the myocardium as the hyperkalemia becomes more severe, causing the PR interval to lengthen and the QRS duration to increase. The P wave may disappear as a result of atrial standstill or arrest; however, sinus node activity can persist without resulting in atrial activation. The latter occurs because the impulse generated by the sinus node may travel to the AV node along specialized intraatrial or internodal tracts, rather than through the atrial myocardium which has become unexcitable. Ultimately the QRS widens further due to a severe conduction delay and may become "sine wave," resulting in ventricular standstill and a flat line on the ECG with complete absence of electrical activity. This progression of ECG changes does not correlate well with the actual potassium level.It's a lil different with hypokalemia...but it's similar to hyperkalemia in that hypokalemia produces changes on the ECG thats not necessarily related to the serum potassium level. There is depression of the ST segment, decrease in the amplitude of the T wave, and an increase in the amplitude of U waves which occur at the end of the T wave . U waves are often seen in the lateral precordial leads V4-V6 and indicate an electrolyte imbalance.

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SHORTENS THE RECOVERY PHASE.

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