What are the dangers of hypokalemia

Many people do not care about hypokalemia, and even ignore the dangers of hypokalemia, thus delaying the treatment of hypokalemia. The hazards of hypokalemia are reflected in many aspects, such as the harm to multiple systems such as neuromuscular and central nervous system, and may also be life-threatening.

1. Neuromuscular system

Potassium has the function of maintaining the excitability of neuromuscular system. The excitability of neuromuscular system can only be normal when the blood potassium concentration is maintained at a certain level. When serum potassium decreases, nerve-muscle excitability and conductivity decrease, resulting in muscle weakness.

2. Central nervous system

The patient is irritable, has mood swings, and is weak. In severe cases, he or she may become listless, drowsy, confused, and even fall into a coma.

3. Circulatory system symptoms

Potassium maintains heart function. During myocardial contraction, potassium escapes from the cell before actin binds to myosin and ATP, and transfers back into the cell during relaxation. Therefore, the concentration of potassium inside and outside myocardial cells affects the autonomy, conductivity and excitability of the myocardium.

4. Rhabdomyolysis

When normal muscles contract, potassium in the striated muscles can be released, causing local blood vessels to dilate to meet energy needs. In severe cases of potassium deficiency, the above-mentioned effects are impaired, and the muscle tissue is relatively ischemic during muscle contraction. In severe cases, skeletal muscle lysis may occur, and a large amount of myosin is excreted from the kidneys, sometimes inducing acute renal failure.

5. Acid, alkali and other electrolyte disorders

When potassium is deficient, the kidney's ability to reabsorb water decreases, resulting in polyuria and nocturia. Thirst occurs due to frequent urination, which increases the production of NH in the kidneys, acid excretion, and bicarbonate reabsorption, thus causing metabolic alkali poisoning. In case of metabolic alkali poisoning, the ability to retain chloride decreases accordingly, resulting in decreased blood chloride.

6. Renal impairment

The main pathological changes are decreased tubular function, epithelial cell degeneration, renal interstitial lymphocyte infiltration, and fibrosis in severe cases.