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Hypokalemia is a low level of potassium (K +) in the blood serum. [1] Mild low potassium does not typically cause symptoms. [3] Symptoms may include feeling tired, leg cramps, weakness, and constipation. [1] Low potassium also increases the risk of an abnormal heart rhythm, which is often too slow and can cause cardiac arrest. [1] [3]
Life span is expected to be normal, [12] but attacks can drop potassium to levels low enough to cause life-threatening breathing problems or heart arrhythmia. Patients often report muscle pain and cognitive problems during attacks.
Low potassium is caused by increased excretion of potassium, decreased consumption of potassium rich foods, movement of potassium into the cells, or certain endocrine diseases. [3] Excretion is the most common cause of hypokalemia and can be caused by diuretic use, metabolic acidosis , diabetic ketoacidosis , hyperaldosteronism , and renal ...
Hypokalemia (a decreased potassium level in the blood) is usually present during attacks. The condition may be life-threatening if weakness of the breathing muscles leads to respiratory failure, or if the low potassium levels lead to abnormal heart rhythms. [1] [2] If untreated, it is typically recurrent in nature. [1]
Also of note is that potassium levels do not have to range outside of normal limits to cause serious, even life-threatening paralysis. These diseases are not the same as having a very low level of potassium (hypokalemia) or high potassium (hyperkalemia) and must not be treated as such. The total body store of potassium is usually normal; it is ...
Low potassium levels in the cells increases the risk of experiencing a life-threatening heart rhythm problem from arsenic trioxide. [citation needed] Arsenic in cells clearly stimulates the production of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2). When the H 2 O 2 reacts with certain metals such as iron or manganese it produces a highly reactive hydroxyl radical.
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a potentially life-threatening complication of diabetes mellitus. [1] Signs and symptoms may include vomiting, abdominal pain, deep gasping breathing, increased urination, weakness, confusion and occasionally loss of consciousness. [1]
Bartter syndrome (BS) is a rare inherited disease characterised by a defect in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle, which results in low potassium levels (hypokalemia), [2] increased blood pH , and normal to low blood pressure. There are two types of Bartter syndrome: neonatal and classic.