Water pills are usually prescribed as part of a treatment plan for high blood pressure or edema, swelling caused by fluid in your body tissues. Medically referred to as diuretics, water pills are meant to help your body remove excess sodium and water. In the process, they may also cause you to lose potassium, another important electrolyte in your blood.
Physiology
More than 95 percent of the potassium in your body is located inside of your cells. The remaining potassium circulates in the fluids outside of your cells, including your blood. The potassium in your blood helps maintain the balance of fluid in your body and keeps the acid-base balance and pH of your blood within normal ranges. Normally the blood contains 3.8 to 4.6 mEq/L of potassium. If a diuretic causes your blood potassium to drop below this level, it can lead to a type of potassium deficiency called hypokalemia.
Symptoms
A small drop in your blood potassium level usually does not cause you to experience any physical symptoms. If your potassium level drops significantly, you may experience muscle weakness or cramps, fatigue, constipation, abnormal heart rhythms and the breakdown of muscle fibers. Low blood potassium can also lead to muscle paralysis, including the muscles of your lungs.
Treatment
Initial treatment focuses on correcting the levels of potassium in your body. If hypokalemia is mild, your doctor may prescribe potassium supplements that can be taken orally. In moderate to severe cases, intravenous potassium may be necessary. Treatment also involves switching your medication. There are three different types of diuretics: thiazide diuretics, potassium-sparing diuretics and loop-acting diuretics. The most commonly prescribed is the thiazide diuretic, which results in potassium loss. If you develop a potassium deficiency while taking a thiazide diuretic, your doctor may switch you to a potassium-sparing diuretic, which triggers your kidneys to retain potassium. Potassium-sparing diuretics may actually lead hyperkalemia, a condition in which your blood contains too much potassium.
Considerations
When taking any type of diuretic, it is important to have your blood potassium levels checked regularly. Regular blood screenings can help your doctor determine whether your blood potassium levels are decreasing or increasing. This will allow your doctor to make decisions about your diuretic medication early enough to avoid any serious complications.
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