Potassium is an essential mineral for the body. It is crucial for normal organ, tissue and cell function. It is an electrolyte, along with magnesium, sodium, calcium and chloride. Electrolytes conduct electricity in the body. Potassium is...
For the human body to function properly, blood levels of potassium need to be within normal limits. Abdominal pain is a symptom associated with many diseases. However, low blood levels of potassium, or hypokalemia, can cause this problem....
Your doctor may diagnose you with high potassium, also called hyperkalemia, if you have blood potassium levels that exceed 6.0 mEq/L, Mayo Clinic warns. In the absence of appropriate treatment, persistently high potassium levels may cause...
Potassium helps control muscle contraction and relaxation, and thus plays a vital role in maintaining the heartbeat. Potassium also helps maintain fluid balance and regulate pH. More than 95 percent of the potassium in your body is contained...
Potassium is an important element for many of the body's functions. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, potassium is involved in muscle contraction, in the functioning of the digestive system and in preserving the normal...
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, 98 percent of potassium in the body is in the organs and cells, and only a small amount is present in the bloodstream. A normal potassium level is 3.6 millequivalents per liter. A blood...
Although a certain level of potassium is needed to keep the metabolic and electrical processes functioning properly, too much potassium can be a problem. If levels of potassium become too high, serious complications, such as cardiac arrest, can...
A high level of potassium, known as hyperkalemia, is a potentially dangerous condition that can cause an irregular heartbeat, cardiac arrest and other problems, according to Medline Plus. Symptoms include changes in heart rhythm, nausea and slow,...
Magnesium sulfate is a salt of magnesium, used medically to replace magnesium, a mineral normally found in your blood, bones and cellular fluid. Magnesium controls the body's supply of potassium; when levels of magnesium drop, potassium leaves the...
Potassium, an electrolyte, helps your body's nerves conduct electrical impulses and plays a key role in cardiac muscle functioning, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center. For the heart to produce a heartbeat, potassium must be present....
Potassium is an essential mineral needed for the muscles, heart, nerves, cells and organs to function properly. It's important to keep the proper amount of potassium in the blood because it conducts the electricity that keeps the heart beating,...
Most of the potassium in your body--or approximately 98 percent, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center--is found inside your cells and in your organ tissues. The small amount of remaining potassium is located in the fluids outside...
Potassium is an essential mineral for many of your body processes, including fluid balance and blood pressure regulation. You get potassium from various fish, meats, vegetables, grains, milk products and fruits. According to the National...
The gastrointestinal system begins with the mouth, esophagus and stomach. The stomach connects to the small intestine which transitions to become the colon, part of the large intestine. Finally, the large intestine terminates as the rectum. Food...
Low potassium, or hypokalemia, is a lower-than-normal amount of potassium in the blood. The normal levels of potassium in the blood range from 3.7 to 5.2 mEq/mL. A person with hypokalemia might experience symptoms such as abnormal heart rhythms,...
