What Can Happen If Your Potassium Level Is Too Low

October 29, 2020

The muscles that line your digestive tract. Alcohol use excessive Chronic kidney disease.

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Low potassium hypokalemia refers to a lower than normal potassium level in your bloodstream.

What can happen if your potassium level is too low. Medicines such as diuretics water pills certain antibiotics. Low potassium levelsor hypokalemiacan cause heart rhythm problems. A low potassium level has many causes but usually results from vomiting diarrhea adrenal gland disorders or use of diuretics.

Common causes of low blood potassium include. Hypokalemia occurs when your body loses too much potassium or does not absorb enough from food. What foods provide potassium.

If the situation is severe potassium might be given as an intravenous IV solution. A low potassium level can make muscles feel weak cramp twitch or even become paralyzed and abnormal heart rhythms may develop. Low levels of potassium also termed hypokalemia alter the bodys chemical structure and disturb fluid electrolyte and acid-base balance.

It is critical to the proper functioning of nerve and muscles cells particularly heart muscle cells. Potassium is a vital electrolyte your body needs for nerves and muscles including the heart to function normally. Low potassium levels are also accompanied.

Causes of potassium loss include. Potassium helps carry electrical signals to cells in your body. It can also cause fatigue weakness muscle cramps and constipation.

For example in case of loss of potassium through vomitingdiarrhea IV fluids will be initiated to correct the dehydration and medications will be given to treat the cause of vomiting or diarrhea. Diuretics water retention relievers Excessive laxative use. Potassium helps control how your muscles heart and digestive system work.

This can lead to potassium buildup. When your kidneys fail or dont function properly they cant remove extra potassium from your body. 8 Signs You Have A Potassium Deficiency - What Can Happen if Your Potassium Level is Too LowFrom digestive problems to heart palpitations and fatigue there.

In hypokalemia the level of potassium in blood is too low. If there is a condition that causes the hypokalemia such as low levels of magnesium or an overactive thyroid the other condition must be treated also. Potassium supplements are generally prescribed for low potassium levels.

Hypokalemia is a low level of potassium in your blood. Potassium has an important role in relaxing the blood vessels which. Long term or severe low potassium levels can affect the heart and cause changes in its function.

You can also develop an arrhythmia which is an irregular heartbeat. The cause of the low potassium level is addressed. Normally your blood potassium level is 36 to 52 millimoles per liter mmolL.

Extremely low potassium levels need administration of potassium through intravenous IV solution. Occasionally low potassium is caused by not getting enough potassium in your diet. Low potassium levels can lead to an increase in blood pressure particularly in people with a high sodium or salt intake.

The kidneys remove excess potassium through the urinary system to keep a proper balance of the mineral in the body. Cramps would be the main symptom of low potassium levels specifically muscle cramps. If your potassium levels are too low your heart cannot function properly leading to heart palpitations rapid heartbeat arrhythmias erratic heartbeat or other dangerous conditions.

However mildly low levels may not cause any symptoms. Vomiting diarrhea or both also can result in excessive potassium loss from the digestive tract. Low potassium levels also interfere with proper digestion so a deficiency can cause digestive upset.

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