Hypokalemia, (Low Blood Potassium) A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

By Kenneth Kee

This book describes Hypokalemia, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases

Hypokalemia indicates low potassium in the blood that can give rise to symptoms of muscle weakness, fatigue, muscle cramps and even paralysis.

Hypokalemia is the term for low Potassium in the blood.

Normal blood potassium ranges from 3.4 to 5.7 mmol per liter.

Hypokalemia happens when blood’s potassium levels are too low.

Hypokalemia is also called:
a. Hypokalemic syndrome
b. Low potassium syndrome
c. Hypopotassemia syndrome

Extra-cellular potassium level represents only 2 per cent of the total body potassium.

Potassium has a major presence in the intracellular volume of cells and intracellular osmolarity.

It is an also an important cofactor in many metabolic actions.

The resting membrane potential and excitable tissues such as nerves are mostly determined by ratio of intracellular to extra-cellular potassium concentrations.

Plasma and extra-cellular potassium levels are involved by many factors particularly acid based balance.

Acidosis moves potassium out of cells while alkalosis shifts potassium into cells.

Potassium is an important electrolyte for nerve and muscle cell functioning, particularly for muscle cells in the heart.

The kidneys regulate the body’s potassium levels, allowing for excess potassium to leave the body through urine or sweat.

Hypokalemia happens with gastrointestinal or urinary loss particularly after the use of potassium wasting diuretics or in diabetes mellitus.

Mild hypokalemia does not cause symptoms.

In some cases, low potassium levels can cause arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythms, and severe muscle weakness.

But these symptoms normally reverse after treatment.

Potassium is an electrolyte (mineral) that is needed for cells to function properly.

The patient gets potassium through food.

The kidneys eliminate excess potassium through the urinary system to maintain a proper balance of the mineral in the body.

It may be because too much potassium is leaving through the digestive tract.

Most often, the patient gets hypokalemia when: he or she:
1. Vomits a lot
2. Has diarrhea
3. The kidneys or adrenal glands do not work well
4. Takes medication that makes the patient urinates (diuretics)

It is possible, but rare, to get hypokalemia from having too little potassium in the diet.

Other things occasionally cause it, too, such as:
1. Drinking too much alcohol
2. Sweating a lot
3. Folic acid deficiency
4. Certain antibiotics such as penicillins
5. Diabetic ketoacidosis (high levels of acids called ketones in the blood)
6. Laxatives taken over a long period of time
7. Certain types of tobacco
8. Some asthma medicines
9. Low magnesium
10. Adrenal gland issues
11. Malnutrition
12. Poor absorption
13. Hyperthyroidism
14. Delirium tremens
15. Renal tubular acidosis types I and 2
16. Catecholamine surge, such as with a heart attack
17. Eating substances like bentonite (clay) or glycyrrhizin (in natural licorice and chewing tobacco)
18. Dilution due to IV fluid administration
19. Drugs such as insulin and beta 2 agonists used for COPD and asthma
20. Barium poisoning

Several syndromes can be linked with low potassium, such as:
1. Cushing syndrome, a rare condition due to long-term exposure to cortisol
2. Gitelman syndrome, a rare genetic kidney disorder that causes an imbalance of ions in the body
3. Liddle syndrome, a rare disorder that causes an increase in blood pressure and hypokalemia
4. Bartter syndrome, a rare genetic kidney disorder that causes salt and potassium imbalance
5. Fanconi syndrome
6. Familial hypokalemia

Women are likely to have hypokalemia more often than men.

TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Hypokalemia
Chapter

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Kee
• Release date: Feb 18, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463269763

Kenneth Kee

Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

Book preview

Hypokalemia,

(Low Blood Potassium)

A

Simple

Guide

To

The Condition,

Diagnosis,

Treatment

And

Related Conditions

By

Dr Kenneth Kee

M.B.,B.S. (Singapore)

Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

Copyright Kenneth Kee 2020 Smashwords Edition

Published by Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated

To my wife Dorothy

And my children

Carolyn, Grace

And Kelvin

This book describes Hypokalemia, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases which is seen in some of my patients in my Family Clinic.

(What You Need to Treat Hypokalemia)

This e-Book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

I have been writing medical articles for my blog: http://kennethkee.blogspot.com (A Simple Guide to Medical Disorder) for the benefit of my patients since 2007.

My purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of my patients.

Health Education was also my dissertation for my Ph.D (Healthcare Administration).

I then wrote an autobiography account of my journey as a medical student to family doctor on my other blog: http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.com.

This autobiography account A Family Doctor’s Tale was combined with my early A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders into a new Wordpress Blog A Family Doctor’s Tale on http://kenkee481.wordpress.com.

From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 800 eBooks.

Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.

For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.

The later books go into more details of medical disorders.

The first chapter is always from my earlier blogs which unfortunately tends to have typos and spelling mistakes.

Since 2013, I have tried to improve my spelling and writing.

As I tried to bring the patient the latest information about a disorder or illness by reading the latest journals both online and offline, I find that I am learning more and improving on my own medical knowledge in diagnosis and treatment for my patients.

Just by writing all these simple guides I find that I have learned a lot from your reviews (good or bad), criticism and advice.

I am sorry for the repetitions in these simple guides as the second chapters onwards have new information as compared to my first chapter taken from my blog.

I also find repetition definitely help me and maybe some readers to remember the facts in the books more easily.

I apologize if these repetitions are irritating to some readers.

Chapter 1

Hypokalemia (Low Blood Potassium)

Hypokalemia indicates low potassium in the blood that can give rise to symptoms of muscle weakness, fatigue, muscle cramps and even paralysis.

What is Hypokalemia?

Hypokalemia is the term for low Potassium in the blood.

Normal blood potassium ranges from 3.5 to 5.7 mmol per liter.

Hypokalemia happens when blood’s potassium levels are too low.

Hypokalemia is also called:

a. Hypokalemic syndrome

b. Low potassium syndrome

c. Hypopotassemia syndrome

Extra-cellular potassium level represents only 2 per cent of the total body potassium.

Potassium has a major presence in the intracellular volume of cells and intracellular osmolarity.

It is an also an important cofactor in many metabolic actions.

The resting membrane potential and excitable tissues such as nerves are mostly determined by ratio of intracellular to extra-cellular potassium concentrations.

Plasma and extra-cellular potassium levels are involved by many factors particularly acid based balance.

Acidosis moves potassium out of cells while alkalosis shifts potassium into cells.

Potassium is an important electrolyte for nerve and muscle cell functioning, particularly for muscle cells in the heart.

The kidneys regulate the body’s potassium levels, allowing for excess potassium to leave the body through urine or sweat.

Hypokalemia happens with gastrointestinal or urinary loss particularly after the use of potassium wasting diuretics or in diabetes mellitus.

Mild hypokalemia does not cause symptoms.

In some cases, low potassium levels can cause arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythms, and severe muscle weakness.

But these symptoms normally reverse after treatment.

What are the causes of Hypokalemia?

Causes

Potassium is an electrolyte (mineral) that is needed for cells to function properly.

The patient gets potassium through food.

The kidneys eliminate excess potassium through the urinary system to maintain a proper balance of the mineral in the body.

There are many different reasons the patient could have low potassium levels.

It may be because too much potassium is leaving through the digestive tract.

This is normally a symptom of another disorder.

Most often, the patient gets hypokalemia when: