Reducing blood pressure Potassium Deficiency The body gets its potassium from dietary sources, and the amount of potassium in the body is determined by the amount of intake and excretion via urine and sweat. Within the body, potassium is distributed in various cells of the blood, muscles, and ...
You have hypokalemia when you have low levels of potassium in your blood. Potassium is a mineral your body needs to work normally. It helps muscles to move, cells to get the nutrients they need, and nerves to send their signals. It’s especially important for cells in your heart. It als...
Without symptoms, you will not know you have low potassium levels until you have a routine blood test or an electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG). How Is Low Potassium Diagnosed? Sometimes the cause of low potassium is unclear. Your doctor may perform certain tests to rule out other conditions such ...
If you have low blood potassium for a while, it may affect your kidneys. You may have to go to the bathroom more often. You may also feel thirsty. Hypokalemia Diagnosis To determine if you have hypokalemia, your doctor will do a potassium blood test to measure the levels of potassium in...
Diabetes can lead to medical emergencies from bothhigh and low blood sugar levels. Examples of diabetes-related conditions that need immediate medical attention include: Severe dehydration Electrolyte abnormalities (for example, low sodium or potassium levels) ...
Potassium is one of the several electrolytes found in your body. It is present within the cells. Normal potassium levels are essential for the proper functioning of the heart and neurological system. Hyperkalemia is an electrolyte imbalance characterized by a high potassium level in the blood. Norm...
It must be treated immediately with epinephrine, a medication that opens narrowed airways and raises dangerously low blood pressure. High doses of corticosteroids and antihistamines also are used. Localized allergic reactions can be treated with topical or oral corticosteroids, antihistamines and ice to...
Normal blood levels of potassium are critical for maintaining normal heart electrical rhythm. Both low blood potassium levels (hypokalemia) and high blood potassium levels (hyperkalemia) can lead toabnormal heart rhythms. The most important clinical effect of hyperkalemia is related to the electrical rh...
Low levels ofpotassiumin your blood Some medications, such as lithium Gestational diabetes insipidus This is very rare. You get this type only during pregnancy. Sometimes, your placenta -- the organ that gives oxygen and nutrients to yourbaby-- makes an enzyme that breaks down vasopressin. Other...
Fludrocortisone. This medication seems to help some types of low blood pressure. It works by promoting sodium retention by yourkidneys. This causes fluid retention and some swelling, which is necessary to improve blood pressure. But sodium retention also causes a loss of potassium. So when takin...