Potassium is a mineral that functions as an important electrolyte in your body; it carries an electrical charge when dissolved in water. Unusually low levels of potassium, also known as hypokalemia, can be caused by inadequate potassium intake but are usually caused by excessive loss of potassium from your body, the Merck Manual explains. Potassium can be lost through urine, vomiting and diarrhea.
Why Is Potassium Important?
In order to understand the signs of low potassium levels, it helps to know which cells are most sensitive to changes in potassium. Because potassium is an electrolyte, cells can use it to maintain and regulate electrical charges. Muscle fibers contract in response to electrical signals, and a low potassium concentration can make it hard for your muscles to work. Your heart muscle also uses potassium-mediated electrical currents to control when different parts of the heart contract.
Muscle Signs
A noticeable sign of hypokalemia is that your skeletal muscles don't work properly. If your potassium levels get too low, you may become fatigued more easily, develop muscle weakness or experience muscle cramping, MayoClinic.com notes. Although most people develop muscle fatigue and cramping occasionally, prolonged or extreme cases of muscle problems can be a sign that something is wrong, and you should see your doctor. Constipation is another symptom of hypokalemia, as the muscles that push fecal material through your colon become weaker.
Heart Problems
One of the most serious results of hypokalemia is heart problems. Low potassium levels can disrupt the synchronized contractions of different portions of the heart, resulting in arrhythmias. These irregular heartbeats can be seen on a test known as an ECG, which measures electrical activity in your heart, the Merck Manual of Health explains. Abnormally low concentrations of potassium can cause different portions of your heart to beat prematurely, which makes it harder for your heart to pump blood efficiently throughout the body.
Complications
Severe or untreated hypokalemia can be life-threatening, particularly if your blood potassium levels drop below 2.5 mEq per L, MayoClinic.com explains. When this happens, your muscle cells can break down, a condition which is also known as rhabdomyalysis. Severe hypokalemia can also cause ventricular fibrillation, a condition in which the heart chambers that pump blood throughout the body begin to twitch instead of pumping. Ventricular fibrillation can cause your heart to completely fail and is a serious medical emergency.
Member Comments