Potassium deficiency (hypokalemia) – causes, symptoms & therapy

A potassium deficiency is when the potassium concentration in the blood is too low. It is an electrolyte imbalance in which there is less than 3.5 mmol/l of potassium in the blood. Potassium plays an essential role in human metabolism.

Together with sodium , potassium is involved in heart muscle activity. Potassium ensures that muscle and nerve cells can react to stimuli, i.e. are excitable. Potassium also plays an important role in regulating blood pressure. All of these functions can be disrupted if there is a potassium deficiency. Hypokalemia can be treated very well in most cases and only leads to life-threatening conditions in extreme cases.

causes

There are several causes of hypokalemia. Very commonly, it occurs when the body either does not get enough potassium from the diet or when the body is losing potassium. In the case of vomiting and diarrhea, for example in the context of gastroenteritis , the potassium is flushed out of the body through the loss of water.The same can happen when laxatives are abused or when sweating profusely , when more potassium is lost than is absorbed. Potassium deficiency can also occur in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease . There are also medications that have hypokalemia as a side effect. These include diuretics with a draining effect.

Older people in particular are at risk of not getting enough potassium from food. Too much salt in the diet and too little liquid can also be causes of a potassium deficiency. In both cases, the sodium-potassium balance in the body gets mixed up.

When to the doctor?

Potassium deficiency has a wide range of risks. It ranges from harmless to life-threatening. Healthy young and middle-aged people are hardly affected by disturbances in the potassium balance. Only with frequent vomiting or diarrhea lasting several days does the body lose more potassium. The normal diet compensates for this quickly. Medical help is not necessary. The situation is different when people in this age group sweat profusely and continuously at night for no apparent reason. The body loses more potassium than the daily diet provides. The probable result is hypokalemia. It points to hidden complaints and complications in the metabolism . Medical clarification is advisable.

Irrespective of age, if there are long-term abnormal sensations in the area of ​​the muscles or when feeling and touching, these are sometimes related to a potassium deficiency. To avoid serious damage to muscle tissue and the nervous system, a doctor’s visit is indicated. If people use laxatives on a long-term basis, the potassium content in the organism decreases. The resulting hypokalemia is a conceivable cause of fatigue, fatigue, dizziness, or headaches occurring. Medical consultation is recommended. A number of chronically ill people regularly require medication for the heart, blood pressure or kidneys . Potassium deficiency is a possible trigger for symptoms that have not been felt before. Medical clarification avoids dangerous consequences.

symptoms and course

Typical symptoms:

• fatigue

• exhaustion

• exhaustion

• dizziness

• headache

• muscle weakness

• constipation

• cardiac arrhythmia

• Muscle cramp

Potassium is particularly important for the proper functioning of muscle and nerve cells. A potassium deficiency can lead to a wide range of mostly non-specific symptoms. First and foremost, these include tiredness and exhaustion. Very often those affected suffer from headaches, dizziness and concentration disorders.

Since potassium is important for muscle function, a deficiency can lead to muscle weakness and even paralysis. Typically, hypokalemia causes marked constipation with constipation, abdominal pain, and bloating. This leads to a vicious circle, as those affected often resort to laxatives, which increase the potassium deficiency due to the increased loss of electrolytes, which in turn leads to constipation.

The most commonly observed symptoms are cardiac arrhythmia and muscle spasms. The arrhythmias of the heart can lead to cardiac arrest and thus to the death of the person concerned. However, this is extremely rare and only seen in very severe, untreated cases. All in all, hypokalemia is treatable.

Diagnose

When diagnosing potassium deficiency, the doctor treating you first takes an anamnesis to determine the patient’s symptoms. If this increases the suspicion of a potassium deficiency, the doctor asks specific questions about eating habits, existing illnesses and taking medication.

The potassium concentration in the blood is then determined in the laboratory by taking a blood sample. A urine test can also be used to determine whether hypokalemia is present or not. In the case of a severe potassium deficiency, typical abnormalities appear in the ECG. These include, above all, extrasystoles but also auricular fibrillation . Of particular importance in diagnosing hypokalemia is the determination of any other electrolyte deficiencies that may be present with the potassium deficiency.

complications

Potassium deficiency has a very negative effect on the patient’s health. As a rule, however, the exact symptoms and complications of this disease depend very much on the severity and duration of the potassium deficiency. In most cases, those affected suffer from high blood pressure and also from nausea or vomiting. Diarrhea or severe abdominal pain can also occur due to the potassium deficiency and have a very negative effect on the quality of life of those affected. Wound healing is also slowed down by this deficiency, so that infections and inflammation can occur more frequently and easily.

Those affected also complain of severe tiredness and dizziness or cramps in the muscles. Furthermore, heart disorders can also develop, which in the worst case can lead to the death of the person concerned. Potassium deficiency can usually be counteracted relatively easily with the help of supplements. There are no particular complications. However, those affected are then dependent on taking supplements for life. In most cases, the life expectancy of the patient is not negatively affected by the potassium deficiency.

treatment and therapy

Treatment for hypokalemia depends on the cause and severity of the condition. If there is a slight potassium deficiency, it is usually possible to compensate for this with potassium-rich food. These include grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts. The top foods in terms of potassium content include parsley, potatoes, bananas and dried fruit.Meat and fish dishes also contain potassium, but less than vegetables and fruits. Of particular note is that potassium is a water-soluble substance and is released into the water when fruits and vegetables are cooked. Therapy with dietary supplements can only be recommended to a limited extent, since this can often lead to an excess of potassium in the blood.

In small doses and under medical supervision, however, such preparations can be very promising. A potassium-containing infusion is only used in very severe cases, such as cardiac arrhythmias or in patients in whom oral potassium intake is impossible.

prevention

Since older people are particularly affected by hypokalemia, they should ensure adequate fluid intake and a high-potassium diet. It is also recommended for younger people to drink around one and a half liters of water, fruit juice or herbal tea every day.

In addition, it is advisable to ensure a sufficient intake of electrolytes and water in the case of gastrointestinal diseases in order to prevent a potassium deficiency from developing in the first place. It is also important not to boil vegetables and fruit in water for too long so that the potassium they contain is not lost.