When your body is unable to metabolize potassium normally, you are at risk for a high or low serum potassium level. Although the two conditions share several of the same symptoms, the causes of each are different. If you are at risk for or suffer from either of these electrolyte imbalances you may need to seek medical intervention.
Hypokalemia
A normal potassium level for a healthy individual falls between 3.6 mEq/L and 4.8 mEq/L. If serum potassium falls below 3.6 mEq/L, you are at risk for hypokalemia, a low level of blood potassium. If potassium continues to fall to a level lower than 2.5 mEq/L, life-threatening complications are likely, and you'll need emergency intervention. Symptoms of low potassium include general weakness, fatigue, constipation and muscle cramping. Without medical intervention, your heartbeat may go into arrhythmia.
Causes of Hypokalemia
Without replacement of water and electrolytes, conditions such as vomiting, diarrhea and profuse sweating all increase your risk for hypokalemia. The same can hold true if you use diuretics, which increase the amount of urine that you produce and excrete. Eating disorders, such as bulimia, can result in low serum potassium. Additionally, any disease that impairs your kidneys' ability to retain potassium puts you at risk, including Fanconi syndrome, Cushing syndrome, Liddle syndrome and hyperaldosteronism.
Hyperkalemia
If your serum potassium level elevates above 4.8 mEq/L, you have hyperkalemia, or a high level of potassium in your blood. Above 6.0 mEq/L, potassium becomes dangerous and potentially fatal. The symptoms of hyperkalemia are weakness, nausea and muscle fatigue. If you do not seek treatment, symptoms can progress to paralysis, and as with severe hypokalemia, arrhythmia.
Causes of Hyperkalemia
Chronic and acute kidney failure can cause hyperkalemia. The same is true of Type 1 diabetes. You also increase your risk for the imbalance if you take excessive amounts of potassium supplements. Angiotensin-converting enzyme, or ACE, inhibitors are also associated with hyperkalemia. If you experience severe burns or trauma to your body, the destruction of red blood cells potentially causes high potassium. If you are an alcoholic or abuse drugs, you may develop rhabdomyolysis, a process involving muscle-fiber breakdown and a subsequent surge of potassium into your blood.
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