Symptoms of mild potassium deficiency

Patients with mild potassium deficiency are mainly concentrated among some adult men, and it is often caused when their bodies are too tired. After it happens, they will often feel that their heart beats slowly, and their blood pressure will be found to be high during examinations. This is the most common symptom of potassium deficiency. After it happens, you must go to the hospital for relevant electrocardiogram and blood potassium tests.

1. Medical history and symptoms:

It is more common in young and middle-aged men, and there may be a family history. It is often triggered by cold, a full meal, and fatigue.

It often occurs acutely in the middle of the night, early morning or after a nap. In addition, strenuous exercise can cause similar symptoms, and the symptoms may recur with flaccid paralysis of the limbs as the main manifestation.

2. Physical examination findings:

1. Flaccid paralysis of the limbs of varying degrees, usually starting from the lower limbs, with more severe proximal parts. In severe cases, the respiratory muscles are affected, and there may be muscle pain but no sensory impairment. Most patients recover within a few hours to one or two days, and some may recover within a week.

2. When the myocardium is affected, bradycardia, ventricular premature beats, increased blood pressure, etc. may occur.

3. Hypokalemia caused by hysteria, Guillain-Barré syndrome, hyperthyroidism, hyperaldosteronism, cottony alcohol poisoning, renal tubular acidosis, etc. should be excluded.

3. Auxiliary examination:

During the attack, blood potassium decreases and the electrocardiogram shows hypokalemic changes. The response of paralyzed muscles to direct current stimulation is weakened and absent.

What are the symptoms of hypokalemia?

1. Weak limbs, flaccid paralysis, slow or absent tendon reflexes, and in severe cases, breathing difficulties.

2. Apathy, dull eyes, drowsiness, and confusion.

3. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, intestinal paralysis.

4. Palpitations and arrhythmia.

What tests are needed for hypokalemia?

1. Serum potassium is lower than 3.5mmol/L.

2. The electrocardiogram shows flat T waves, bidirectional or inverted T waves and the presence of U waves.

You can take 4-10g of potassium chloride orally at a time (0.2g/kg for children). After the condition improves, continue to take 1-2g of potassium chloride, 3-4 times/d, and stop taking it after full recovery. For patients with more serious conditions, add 30 ml of 10% potassium chloride to 1000 ml of normal saline and slowly drip it. The total amount of potassium chloride in 24 hours should not exceed 8 g. For those with breathing difficulties, give oxygen, suction sputum, and perform artificial respiration if necessary. Patients with arrhythmia were given 30 ml of 10% potassium chloride and 10 u of insulin added to 1000 ml of 5% glucose solution and slowly dripped intravenously. Digitalis drugs are prohibited because of the high risk of poisoning.