Hypokalemia

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Potassium - low; Low blood potassium

A small drop in potassium usually doesn't cause symptoms. However, a big drop in the level can be life threatening.

Symptoms of hypokalemia include:

• Abnormal heart rhythms (dysrhythmias), especially in people with heart disease
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis)
• Muscle weakness or spasms
• Paralysis (which can include the lungs)

Your health care provider will take a sample of your blood to check potassium levels.

Other tests might include:

• Arterial blood gas
• Basic or comprehensive metabolic panel
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Blood tests to check glucose, magnesium, calcium, sodium, phosphorous, thyroxine, and aldosterone levels

Review Date: 05/29/2011
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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