hypokalemia

Key facts

Medical condition (new).caption: An ECG in a person with a potassium level of 1.1 meq/L showing the classical changes of ST segment depression, inverted T waves, large U waves, and a slightly prolonged PR interval.
Medical condition (new).field: Critical care medicine
Medical condition (new).symptoms: Feeling tired, leg cramps, weakness, constipation, abnormal heart rhythm
Medical condition (new).complications: Cardiac arrest
Medical condition (new).causes: Diarrhea, medications like furosemide and steroids, dialysis, diabetes insipidus, hyperaldosteronism, hypomagnesemia, not enough intake in the diet
Medical condition (new).diagnosis: Blood potassium < 3.5 mmol/L
Medical condition (new).treatment: Dietary changes, potassium supplements, based on the underlying cause
Medical condition (new).frequency: 20% of people admitted to hospital
Medical condition (new).name: Hypokalemia
Medical condition (new).synonyms: Hypokalaemia, hypopotassaemia, hypopotassemia

Article

22 sections

Contents

Signs and symptoms
Causes
Inadequate potassium intake
Gastrointestinal or skin loss
Urinary loss
Distribution away from extracellular fluid
Other
Pseudohypokalemia
Pathophysiology
Diagnosis
Blood
Electrocardiogram
Amount
Treatment
Oral potassium supplementation
Intravenous potassium replacement
Potassium-sparing diuretics
Popular culture
See also
References
Further reading
External links

Hypokalemia is a low level of potassium (K+) in the blood serum. Mild low potassium does not typically cause symptoms. Symptoms may include feeling tired, leg cramps, weakness, and constipation. Low potassium also increases the risk of an abnormal heart rhythm, which is often too slow and can cause cardiac arrest.

Causes of hypokalemia include vomiting, diarrhea, medications like furosemide and steroids, dialysis, diabetes insipidus, hyperaldosteronism, hypomagnesemia, and not enough intake in the diet. Normal potassium levels in humans are between 3.5 and 5.0 mmol/L (3.5 and 5.0 mEq/L) with levels below 3.5 mmol/L defined as hypokalemia. It is classified as severe when levels are less than 2.5 mmol/L. Low levels may also be suspected based on an electrocardiogram (ECG). The opposite state is called hyperkalemia, which means a high level of potassium in the blood serum.