Hypokalemia is low potassium in the body, often caused by severe fluid loss. Mild cases can be treated with diet, but severe cases may require intravenous medication. Symptoms range from muscle fatigue to respiratory failure, and long-term treatment is rarely needed.
Hypokalemia is the medical term for lower than normal potassium in the body. It has a variety of causes and often appears as a side effect of a disease involving severe fluid loss. In most cases, mild hypokalemia can be treated with improved diet, but more severe cases may require intravenous medications to bring potassium levels in the body back to normal.
Potassium is one of the most important substances in your body. By helping to regulate muscle and nerve activity, it keeps the skeleton and muscles healthy and aids in recovery after physical stress. In a healthy person, you should be getting most or all of the potassium your body needs through the consumption of healthy foods, mainly leafy green vegetables such as spinach, pineapples, bananas, avocados, and even milk. If you have this condition and you haven’t had a recent illness or taken a diuretic medication, the most likely reason is an improper diet.
When fluid is lost in larger-than-normal amounts, such as through vomiting or diarrhea, many needed nutrients are eliminated from the body. Post-operative patients and those who have had an illness may be prone to hypokalemia. Some antibiotics can also be a cause of the condition, be sure to check the possible side effects of any prescription drugs you are taking to see if they are a possible cause.
Also, some inherited genetic conditions can predispose you to low potassium. If the problem is chronic, potassium supplements can be used to reduce the chances of hypokalemia. Cushing’s syndrome and Bartter’s syndrome have both been suggested as possible genetic contributors to the condition.
In mild cases, symptoms of the condition are usually mild and difficult to diagnose. Patients may experience muscle fatigue or poor control of muscle capacity or may develop muscle tics. In severe cases, people with the condition can experience paralysis, loss of reflexes, and respiratory failure. If you suspect that you have severe hypokalemia, see a doctor right away, as the condition could cause critical medical problems.
For more severe cases, a saline solution is often given to patients intravenously, rapidly raising potassium levels. Long-term treatment beyond supplements and an improved, potassium-rich diet is rarely needed. If the condition is being caused by a needed diuretic drug, your doctor may be able to switch you to one that spares potassium in the body. While this condition is usually mild, life-threatening complications exist, and any signs of persistent low potassium should be treated seriously.
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