Potassium plays a vital role in the transmission of nerve impulses and contraction of muscles. Because of its role in muscle contraction, the levels of potassium in your body help control your heart beat. Most of the potassium in your body is located inside of your cells. The remaining potassium circulates throughout your bloodstream. Normally, your blood contains 3.6 to 4.8 milliequivalents of potassium per liter of blood. If the levels of potassium in your blood fall too low, a condition called hypokalemia, it can disrupt normal functioning.
Causes
The levels of potassium in your blood are not directly related to the amount of potassium you consume in your diet. Low potassium is usually caused by other underlying factors, such as antibiotic use, diuretics and kidney diseases. Low potassium may also occur when certain symptoms, such as diarrhea, vomiting and excessive sweating, disrupt electrolyte imbalance. Bulimia, which is characterized by forced vomiting and laxative abuse, is a common cause of low potassium levels.
Symptoms
Small decreases in potassium levels do not usually cause any symptoms. If levels drop significantly, it can cause constipation, fatigue, muscle weakness and muscle spasms. Your muscle fibers may also begin to break down and enter the bloodstream, a condition called rhabdomyolysis. Severe drops in potassium levels can disrupt normal heart rhythm and lead to paralysis of the lung muscles and difficulty breathing.
Treatment
Initial treatment of hypokalemia focuses on correcting potassium levels. Mild cases of hypokalemia can usually be corrected with oral supplementation of potassium. More severe cases may require intravenous administration of a potassium solution. Once potassium levels return to normal, further treatment focuses on correcting the underlying condition causing the low levels of potassium.
Prognosis
If detected promptly, most cases of hypokalemia can be successfully treated without any complications. If left untreated, low potassium levels can cause a type of kidney damage called hypokalemic nephropathy. This condition is characterized by damage to the kidney structures that are responsible for filtering waste products from the blood. In severe cases, low levels of potassium can lead to life-threatening lung paralysis that leads to cessation of breathing and death.
Member Comments