Final answer:
Failure of the kidneys to eliminate potassium can lead to hyperkalemia, which can impair the function of skeletal muscles, the nervous system, and the heart. This can result in arrhythmias and cardiac arrest.
Step-by-step explanation:
Failure of the kidneys to eliminate potassium leads to a condition called hyperkalemia. This is an elevated potassium blood level that can impair the function of skeletal muscles, the nervous system, and the heart. Hyperkalemia can result from increased dietary intake of potassium, causing an abnormally high concentration of potassium in the extracellular fluid. This can result in partial depolarization of cells, leading to an inability of cells to repolarize. In the case of the heart, this can cause arrhythmias and even lead to cardiac arrest.