Potassium is the largest intracellular cation in the body. Ninety-eight percent is stored intracellularly.
Hypokalemia, low blood potassium, results from potassium depletion. Moderate potassium deficiency is a likely factor in hypertension risk.
Hypokalemia exists when measured values of serum potassium are less than 4 mEq/L. It will becomes clinically important at concentration less than 3.5 mEq/L.
Low potassium intake can also disrupt acid-base balance in the body and contribute to bone loss and kidney stones.
Severe potassium deficiency usually results from excessive losses. Prolong vomiting, chronic diarrhea, laxative abuse, and use of diuretics are the most common causes of low blood potassium.
Insufficient dietary potassium intake magnifies the effects of excess potassium loss.
The most obvious clinical effects of hypokalemia concern muscle an manifest as generalized weakness, ataxia, and ventral neck flexion.
Severe or rapid potassium depletion can disrupt heart rhythms – a potentially fatal problem. Although cardiac arrhythmia rarely occur with hypokalemia without underlying heart disease, even mild to moderate hypokalemia can induce cardiac arrhythmias in the presence of cardiac ischemia, congestive heart failure, or left ventricular hypertrophy.
People with poor diets, such as alcoholics and individuals who suffer from anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, are at highest risk of potassium deficiency.
The most common cause of hypokalemia is medications, especially diuretics, can cause renal potassium wasting.
An important but often unrecognized complication of hypokalemia is nephropathy. This can comprise both functional and morphologic changes. The deleterious effects of hypokalemia in renal function may be reversible with appropriate treatment.
Low potassium dietary content is unusual un the United States and other developed countries because potassium is found in most foods.
Hypokalemia - Low blood potassium
