Hypokalemia

Hypokalemia

Hypokalemia refers to a lower-than-normal potassium level in your bloodstream. Potassium helps carry electrical signals to cells in your body. It is critical to the proper functioning of nerve and muscle cells, particularly heart muscle cells.

This is unpublished

Hypokalemia Consults

While you will see more consults for hyperkalemia on the nephrology consult service, you will also sometimes be asked to assist with managing hypokalemia.

Hypokalemia can result from various conditions, including iatrogenic renal potassium loss (such as loop diuretic use), high stool output, renal tubular acidosis, endocrinopathies, and less common genetic conditions leading to kidney potassium wasting.

It is important to correct hypokalemia, as low potassium can lead to cardiac arrhythmias as well as make therapies (i.e. diuretics) less effective.


Deranged Physiology:
Renal handling of potassium

by Alex Yartsev

First, let’s review the physiology of potassium handling in the kidney.

The following chapter on Deranged Physiology will walk you through renal potassium handling.

 


Shockingly Dangerous Hypokalemia

  by Christopher Cardillo & Ross Ellison

This emergency medicine educational site is a nice reference for expected EKG findings in hypokalemia, as well as a brief overview of causes and management.

 


Run the List 
Episode 91: Hypokalemia

This podcast (from the series Run the List) provides an overview of mechanisms and presentation of hypokalemia, and some strategies for workup, management and repletion.

 


Hoofbeats: A 36F with weakness

by John Hwang, Cindy Fang, Neha Sathe and Michael Janjigian

This CoreIM podcast reviews a rare cause of hypokalemia, while also reviewing diagnostic reasoning on the topic.

 


NephSim - Case 45

NephSim logo

Now try testing your knowledge and understanding of hypokalemia through the following case.

 


Regulation of Potassium Homeostasis

by Biff F. Palmer

If you would like a more detailed review, the following article by Biff Palmer is an in-depth overview of potassium homeostasis.