Hypokalemia

Hypokalemia is a condition which the concentration of serum potassium in the blood is less than 3.5mmol / L. Hypokalemia may be due to the overall low potassium or potassium normal overall, but the potassium in the cells caused by internal and external re-distribution. Severe hypokalemia may be severe complications, even life-threatening, required active treatment.

Total body potassium content in normal average 3500mmol / L, its distribution in the body as follows: 90% of cells, bone and cartilage in 8%, only 2% of cells, the intracellular potassium as the main cation. Normal daily dietary intake of potassium, due to diet type, age, race and there is a lot of different changes. Youth consumption of dietary potassium every day up to 85mmol / L [85mEq / L (3400mg)], and the elderly is very low potassium intake. People to eat fruits and vegetables intake of potassium than eating more potassium than milk in breast milk 3 times as high (respectively, 188mmol / L, 35mmol / L), it is to eat dairy milk than those who eat more potassium intake . 80% intake of potassium excretion by the kidneys, gastrointestinal excretion by 15 percent, and the remaining 5% emitted by Khan. Potassium balance in normal status, intake of potassium and potassium from the same, so that to maintain plasma potassium concentration in the 3.5 ~ 5.5mmol / L of the narrow range, which is the balance of potassium in vitro and in vivo. The factors regulating this balance there is plasma insulin, catecholamines, aldosterone, serum potassium concentration and total body K, and the other balance is the balance of potassium inside and outside cells. Membrane located on the main dependent on the sodium - potassium - adenosine triphosphate enzyme, its function is to cells of extracellular sodium pump.