Low Potassium Level - Medtick
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Low Potassium Level

What is it?

Hypokalemia (low levels of potassium in the blood).

  • Hypokalemia is generally defined as a serum potassium level of less than 3.5 mEq/L (3.5 mmol/L).
    • Moderate hypokalemia is a serum level of 2.5-3.0 mEq/L,
    • Severe hypokalemia is a level of less than 2.5 mEq/L
  • It is mainly caused when one has increased urination (disorders causing that), kidney disorders and/or eating disorders.

Diagnosis Tests

ECG tests, urine analysis and test for ’causes’ listed below are assessed to determine the cause of low potassium levels.

  • If the urine potassium level is less than 20 mEq/L, consider the following:
    • Diarrhoea and use of laxatives
    • Diet or total parenteral nutrition (TPN) contents
    • The use of insulin, excessive bicarbonate supplements, and episodic weakness
  • If the urine potassium level is higher than 40 mEq/L, consider diuretics. If diuretic use has been excluded, measure arterial blood gases (ABG) and determine the acid-base balance. Alkalosis suggests one of the following:
  • A normal level of potassium is 3.6–5.2 millimoles per litre (mmol/L)and anything below 2.5 mmol/L is life-threateningly low.

MayoClinic

Cause

Treatments

  • Dilution due to IV fluid administration
Syndromes

Medication

Vitamins, herbals and minerals

Illicit drugs

Symptoms

  • General discomfort (muscle weakness), uneasiness or ill feeling (malaise) and/or fatigue (tiredness)?
  • Aching, painful muscles, muscle cramps/spasms/stiffness
  • Twitching one’s nose and/or face and arms and/or legs?
  • Constant hiccups?
  • One find passing stools difficult (can be painful) and constipated?
  • Heart palpitations and/or irregular heartbeats?

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Medical Emergency Condition

And/or do not wait, phone for an ambulance if have or develop:

  • Heart attack
  • Long QT syndrome
  • Severe slow beating of the heart
  • Breathing difficulties with severe muscle cramps and/or muscle paralysis (numb or can’t feel muscles/muscles not working) and/or chest pain.
  • Rhabdomyolysis (Crush syndrome)
  • Psychosis (confusion)
  • Delirium – (Medical emergency)
    • Problem with attention (This could mean the person is inattentive and does not focus or that he or she can focus on tasks but at the expense of all else — failure to shift attention.)
    • Disorganised thinking (such as not being able to remember things or being confused)
    • Altered level of consciousness (hyper-alertness and on edge, or sluggish, drowsy or withdrawn)
    • Change is sudden and/or does it fluctuate over hours or days
  • Hallucinations
  • Depression (suicidal) and or showing symptoms above

This condition can lead to complications of:

  • Cardiovascular disease in particular development of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias
    • Patients very vulnerable are:
      • Chronic heart failure
      • Underlying ischemic heart disease/acute myocardial ischemia
      • Aggressive therapy for hyperglycemia, such as with diabetic ketoacidosis
      • Digitalis therapy
      • Treatment with class III antiarrhythmic drugs (eg, dofetilide)
      • Methadone therapy
      • Conn syndrome
      • Those who have diuretics (potassium levels should always be monitored)
  • Muscle weakness, depression of the deep-tendon reflexes, and even flaccid paralysis can complicate hypokalemia.
    • Rhabdomyolysis specially with vigorous exercise
  • Kidney complication
  • Gastrointestinal complications:
    • Hypokalemia decreases gut motility, which can lead to or exacerbate an ileus (biuld up and or blockage of food in the intestine).
  • Liver cirrhosis
  • Metabolic complication
    • Hypokalemia has a dual effect on glucose regulation by decreasing insulin release and peripheral insulin sensitivity.
    • Clinical evidence suggests that the hypokalemic effect of thiazide is the causative factor in thiazide-associated diabetes mellitus.

The following foods have a high potassium level content:

  • Apricots
  • Avocados
  • Bananas
  • Bran
  • Cod
  • Beans and peas
  • Beef
  • Figs
  • Kiwi
  • Milk
  • Nuts
  • Oranges
  • Potatoes
  • Spinach
  • Tomatoes
  • Milk
  • Peanut butter

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

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