Low Potassium Symptoms and Treatment Methods
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What is Low Potassium? What Are the Symptoms of Low Potassium? How Is Low Potassium Treated? Symptoms of Hypokalemia ? You can find answers to questions such as:
What is low potassium
(hypokalemia)? 20 symptoms of potassium deficiency, causes and treatment
Low potassium, also known as hypokalemia, occurs when there is not enough potassium in the blood. This can occur due to malnutrition, diarrhea or vomiting. Potassium deficiency is manifested by symptoms such as high blood pressure, constipation, muscle weakness and fatigue.
In severe potassium
deficiency, complications such as respiratory failure, stroke and heart failure
may occur.
Potassium is an essential mineral that plays many roles in our body. Even small changes in potassium levels can negatively affect our bodily functions. A normal potassium level is 3.5 to 5.0 mmol/liter. Potassium deficiency occurs when the potassium level in the blood is less than 3.6 mmol/liter.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF LOW POTASSIUM ?
- Weakness
- Constipation
- Muscle cramps
- Weakness, fatigue, cramps in muscles and legs that can result in inability to move fully
- Bloating, constipation, abdominal cramps
- Excessive urination and frequent urge to drink water
- Tingling or numbness in the body
- Nausea vomiting
- High blood pressure
- Heart palpitations
- Kidney problems
- Leg pain
- Extremely low blood pressure, which can cause fainting
- Depression, delusions or hallucinations
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WHAT CAUSES LOW POTASSIUM?
There are many causes of low potassium levels, but it is usually caused by vomiting, diarrhea, adrenal gland disorders or the use of diuretics. Other causes of low potassium are as follows:
- Chronic diarrhea (including laxative use
- Frequent vomiting
- Excessive sweating
- Alcohol use habit
- Osmotic diuresis (increased urination due to certain substances in the fluid filtered by the kidneys)
- Thyrotoxicosis (excessive secretion of thyroid hormone in the body)
- Other nutritional deficiencies, such as malnutrition, magnesium or folic acid deficiency
- Adrenal disorders such as Cushing's disease
- Chronic kidney disease
- Rare disorders such as Liddle syndrome, Bartter syndrome, Gitelman syndrome
- Leukemia
- inflammatory bowel disease
- Pica disease
- As a side effect of some drugs such as diuretics, laxatives, antibiotics, insulin
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| Low Potassium Symptoms and Treatment Methods |
HOW TO TREAT LOW POTASSIUM ?
Low potassium therapy aims
to increase potassium levels and address underlying causes. In mild cases, low
potassium can be treated with oral potassium pills prescribed by your doctor.
These may be in the form of potassium chloride, potassium phosphate or
potassium carbonate.
In severe cases, you may need to receive intravenous (IV) potassium in the hospital. This treatment raises levels much faster than oral potassium supplementation.
Eating more potassium-rich foods can also help treat and prevent low potassium levels. Bananas, spinach, nuts, kiwi, oranges, yogurt and salmon are foods rich in potassium.
WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS OF LOW POTASSIUM ?
Although a mildly low
potassium level is not dangerous and can be easily treated with oral potassium
supplementation, extremely low potassium levels can cause serious
complications. In severe cases of low potassium, life-threatening heart
failure, stroke, and respiratory failure can occur.
If you have a heart
condition such as cardiac ischemia, heart failure, or left ventricular
hypertrophy, low potassium levels are more likely to cause more heart problems.
Hypokalemia can cause other health problems, including:
- High blood pressure
- Kidney stone
- Decreased bone mineral density
- Glucose intolerance with increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes
- Calcium excretion in the urine
HOW MUCH POTASSIUM SHOULD BE TAKEN DAILY ?
Recommended daily potassium intake, according to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM):
Healthy adults: 3,400 mg per
day for men, 2,600 mg for women (19 years and older)
Teenagers 14 to 18 years:
3,000 mg men, 2,300 mg women
Children 9-13 years: 2,500
mg men, 2,300 mg women
Children 4-8 years: 2,300 mg
men, 2,300 mg women
Children 1 to 3 years old:
2,000 mg for both men and women
Babies 7 to 12 months old:
860 mg for both male and female
Birth to 6 months: 400 mg
for both men and women