Hypokalemia
Original Editors - Kara Lawless from Bellarmine University's Pathophysiology of Complex Patient Problems project.
Lead Editors - Your name will be added here if you are a lead editor on this page. Read more.
Definition/Description
add text here
Prevalence
[edit | edit source]
Hypokalemia is more common in hospitalized patients, up to 15%, as a result of other pathologies. While only 3% of the outpatient population is found to have Hypokalemia. No difference has been shown between gender and race.[1]
Characteristics/Clinical[edit | edit source]
An individual with Hypokalemis may exhibit signs of the following:
- Abnormal heart rhythyms
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Muscle Damage
- Muscle Weakness or spasms
- Paralysis[2]
- Nausea and vomiting
- Polyuria, nocturia or polydipsia
- Altered mental status
- Signs of Ileus
- Hypotension
- Cardia arrest
- Bradycardia or Tachycardia
- Premature atrial or ventricular beats
- Hypoventilation/Respiratory distress
- Respiratory failure
- Lethargy
- Edema (Cushingoid appearance)[3]
Associated Co-morbidities[edit | edit source]
Hypokalemia may present as a result of:
- Chronic Kidney Failure
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis
- Diarrhea/Vomiting
- Excessive Sweating
- Excessive use of laxatives
- Prescription Diuretic Pills
- Primary Aldosteronism[4]
- Liddle Syndrome
- Cushing Syndrome
- Bartter Syndrome
- Fanconi Syndrome
- Bulimia
/2
- Eating large amounts of licorice, herbal teas or chewing tobacco
- Magnesium Deficiency
- Glue Sniffing
- Alcoholism (poor appetite and/or vomiting)
- Amphotericin B therapy
- Hypothermia/1
Medications
[edit | edit source]
In order to correct Hypokalemia, potassium supplements can be administered orally or intervenously./2 Oral preparations of potassium include 8m Eq KCl slow release tablets, 20 mEq KClelixir, 20 mEq KCl powder, 25mEq KCl tablet./3
Diagnostic Tests/Lab Tests/Lab Values[edit | edit source]
Hypokalemia is commonly found in a blood test, with <3.5mmol/L as mild hypokalemia and <2.5mmol/L as severe hypokalmia.*4 A 12-lead electrocardiogram may be necessary if severe to check from cardiac arrythymias. Other tests may include: arterial blood gas, Basic or comprehensive metabolic panel, as well as, blood tests to check glucose magnesium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, thyroxine, and aldosterone levels.*1
Etiology/Causes[edit | edit source]
Low potassium has many causes with the most common being excessive loss in urine or from the digestive tract. Very seldom it may be caused by not getting enought potassium into your diet. *4
Systemic Involvement[edit | edit source]
add text here
Medical Management (current best evidence)[edit | edit source]
add text here
Physical Therapy Management (current best evidence)[edit | edit source]
add text here
Alternative/Holistic Management (current best evidence)[edit | edit source]
add text here
Differential Diagnosis[edit | edit source]
add text here
Case Reports/ Case Studies[edit | edit source]
add links to case studies here (case studies should be added on new pages using the case study template)
Resources
[edit | edit source]
add appropriate resources here
Recent Related Research (from Pubmed)[edit | edit source]
see tutorial on Adding PubMed Feed
Failed to load RSS feed from http://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/erss.cgi?rss_guid=1NGmwZeh8JwVIzrKgHG1LrDm0izTr7ViJiDkSYAY2BW5hiXsx0|charset=UTF-8|short|max=10: Error parsing XML for RSS
References[edit | edit source]
see adding references tutorial.