Critical Reasoning - Assumption

When solving with inference questions, a conclusion needs to be drawn from the passage.

Option A - Incorrect
This claim makes a too-far leap in logic generalizing that excess potassium is poisonous. Nonetheless, it's not stated in the passage if potassium is poisonous to the body system and there is no recorded death case where potassium is responsible for it in the passage.

Option B - Incorrect
This is quoted out of context and not relevant to the discussion at hand.

Option C - Incorrect
Calcium chloride according to the passage destroys surrounding tissues if it escapes from a vein, and as such, doctors prefer preventative treatment for hyperkalemia over calcium chloride inject. Therefore, this answer choice is incorrect.

Option D - Correct
Only extremely high levels of potassium in the blood lead to hyperkalemia. So, the kidney plays a vital role by naturally removing excess potassium from the bloodstream alongside with other controlled and regulated preventative treatments by the doctors. Hence, it makes the most logical statement that suits the passage narration.

Option E - Incorrect
No, this is wrong! The cases of hyperkalemia that result in permanent tissue damage are those in emergency situations and treated with an injection of calcium chloride. The reason is that if the calcium chloride escapes from the vein, it destroys the surrounding tissue.

Hyperkalemia is a potentially fatal condition found most often in kidney dialysis patients that causes pain, severely erratic pulse, and tissue swelling throughout the body. Hyperkalemia is the result of extremely high levels of potassium in the blood and, in an emergency, can be treated with an injection of calcium chloride. However, since calcium chloride destroys surrounding tissues if it escapes from a vein, doctors overwhelmingly prefer preventative treatments. Nonetheless Hyperkalemia is not observed after a successful kidney transplant.

Which of the following can most logically be inferred based on the passage above?

A) Potassium is poisonous except in very small amounts........The passage says extremely high is harmful. This answer choice does not resonate with that thinking.

B) Since the symptoms of hyperkalemia resemble those of heart attack, the condition is often misdiagnosed.........................No where the argument mentions that symptoms of hyperkalemia resemble symptoms of heart attack.

C) Calcium supplements are the preferred preventative treatment for hyperkalemia...............The argument says Calcium Chloride. That too after Hyperkalemia has been detected. We don't know what is preferred in preventive treatment scenarios.

D) The kidneys are at least partially responsible for removing excess potassium from the bloodstream.............The argument says once Kidney is transplanted, Hyperkalemia is not observed. And it is found most often in Kidney Dialysis patients....So we can infer Kidney is responsible for removing excess potassium from the bloodstream

E) Most cases of hyperkalemia result in permanent tissue damage........................The argument says Calcium Chloride injection may damage tissues.....No where it's mentioned that Hyperkalemia result in permanent tissue damage.