Teaching Points

When educating a patient with hyperphosphatemia, be sure to cover the following topics and then evaluate your patient's understanding:

• causes and treatment
• prescribed medications
• avoidance of preparations that contain phosphorus, such as laxatives, enemas, and supplements
• avoidance of high-phosphorus foods, such as dairy products, organ meats, fish, poultry, eggs, and nuts and seeds
• warning signs and symptoms
• referrals to a dietitian and social services, if indicated.