Potassium is a mineral that your body needs to maintain a proper fluid balance, as well as to ensure that your nerve cells are able to send messages to your brain so you can use your muscles. You need a certain amount of potassium in your blood for these functions to work properly. A normal potassium range is 3.6 to 4.8 mEq/L. If your doctor diagnoses you with low potassium, or hypokalemia, you can expect several symptoms and treatments.
Symptoms
A potassium level of 2.5 mEq/L or less can be life threatening, so it is important to know the signs and symptoms. These include muscle cramps, weakness, fatigue, constipation and abnormal heart rhythms. If you have one or more of these symptoms, you may be experiencing low potassium and should notify your doctor right away. Left untreated, low potassium can lead to serious health consequences, including damage to your cardiovascular and neurological systems, kidneys and muscles.
Causes
A diet low in potassium-rich foods is one cause for low potassium, though this cause is not common. If your diet lacks plenty of fruits and vegetables, you may experience low potassium. Taking diuretics can also cause low potassium, because their use can cause much of your potassium stores to be excreted in your urine. Medical reasons may also explain why you could be experiencing low potassium. Diarrhea can lead to low potassium if it goes on for several days, and chronic kidney disease may also lead to a low potassium level. Eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, can also lead to decreased potassium levels. Bartter's syndrome and Gitelman's syndrome are rare and are characterized by potassium wasting that makes it difficult for you to absorb potassium into your bloodstream.
Medical Treatments
The primary goal with medical interventions is to raise your potassium levels back to normal, which will help reduce the danger to your cardiovascular system. Several medications exist, and large doses of potassium in pill form are a common medical treatment. In patients who cannot take oral potassium, it can be administered intravenously to help raise potassium back to a safe level. The Bartter Site, a website dedicated to educating those with low potassium and related diseases, notes that in patients suffering from metabolic acidosis, potassium bicarbonate or potassium citrate can be used as a medical treatment.
Dietary Changes
You may be able to raise your potassium levels into the normal range by adding potassium-rich foods to your diet. Avocado, watermelon, bananas, oranges and tomatoes are some of the best sources of potassium.
Member Comments