POTASSIUM (K+)

NORMAL/PANIC VALUE CONDITIONS CAUSING CONDITIONS CAUSING

HYPERKALEMIA HYPOKALEMIA
OTHER INFORMATION HYPERKALEMIA HYPOKALEMIA
Normal adult:  Tachycardia that changes  Acidosis  Shallow respirations  Alcoholism
3.5-5.0 mEq/liter to bradycardia  Acute or chronic renal  Dizziness  Alkalosis
3.5-5.0 mmol/liter  Cardiac arrest due to failure  Hypotension  Anorexia nervosa
 Addison's disease 
Normal urine in adult: hypopolarization and  Arrhythmias with EKG changes: ST Ascites
 Aldosterone inhibiting  Bradycardia
26-123 mEq/24 hrs alterations in segment depression, flattened T
diuretics  Chronic, excessive licorice
26-123 mmol/24 hrs repolarization waves, prominent U waves
 Asthma ingestion from licorice root
Panic (critical) values:  Ventricular arrhythmias  Burns  Ventricular arrhythmias
below 2.5 mEq/liter  On EKG: peaked T waves,  Thready pulse  CHF
 Chronic interstitial
 Crohn's disease
above 6.5 mEq/liter widened QRS complex, nephritis  Cardiac arrest
 Cushing's syndrome
We need to take in a minimum of 40mEq of depressed ST segment  Dehydration  Nausea/vomiting
 Cystic Fibrosis
potassium daily to replace what we lose  Hypotension  Dialysis  Anorexia
  Deficient dietary intake of
through our renal system with 60 to 100  Nausea/vomiting Excessive dietary intake  Diarrhea
of potassium potassium
mEq being more of an average  Diarrhea  Decreased contractility of smooth,
 Excessive intake of salt  Diet deficient in meat and
replacement.  Abdominal cramps skeletal and cardiac muscles vegetables
substitutes
Foods high in potassium:  Decreased gastric motility  Excessive intake of  Decreased peristalsis  Diuretics
Vegetables:  Muscle weakness theophyhllines  Abdominal distention  Excess insulin
Potatoes
 Muscle cramps  Excessive IV infusion of  Decreased bowel (intestinal)  Familial periodic paralysis
Squash
Tomatoes
 Flaccid muscle paralysis potassium motility/intestinal ileus  GI losses due to vomiting,
Mushrooms first in the legs and then  Exercise  Muscle weakness diarrhea, N/G suction or
Dried Beans in the arms and trunk  Massive hemolysis  Muscle cramps intestinal fistula
Lima Beans  Paresthesias of he face,  Hemolysis  Irritability  Glucose administration
 Hypoaldosteronism 
Carrots tongue, feet and hands  Confusion Hyperaldosteronism
 Insulin deficiency 
Spinach  Drowsiness  Weakness initially in the legs, Hypertension
Asparagus  Infection 
 Oliguria particularly the quadriceps, then Hypomagnesemia
 Ketoacidosis
Broccoli
 Cardiac arrest in the arms followed by  IV therapy with inadequate
Artichokes  leukocytosis
involvement of the respiratory potassium
Fruits:  Muscle necrosis
supplementation
Figs  Near drowning muscles
 Laxative abuse
Dates  Pregnancy  Dilute urine

 Loss through fluid loss from
Raisins Prolonged periods of  Polyuria
burns
Cantaloupe standing  Polydipsia (thirst)  Malabsorption
Bananas  Tissue trauma/ crush  Lethargy
Apricots (raw) injury to tissues  Pica
 Fatigue  Renal artery stenosis
Peaches (raw)  Transfusion of old
Pears (raw) banked blood or  Leg cramps  Renal tubular acidosis
Apricots (dried) hemolyzed blood  Cardiac arrest  Stress
Orange Juice  Tubular  Sweating
Meats: unresponsiveness to  Thyrotoxicosis
Scallops aldosterone  Toxic shock syndrome
Chicken  Uremia  Trauma/Surgery
Beef
 the most abundant intracellular electrolyte
 essential for transmission of electrical impulses in cardiac and skeletal muscle, contraction of skeletal and
smooth muscle
 transforms glucose into energy and amino acids into proteins
 has an inverse relationship to pH
 has a reciprocal relationship with sodium so one goes up when the other goes down and vice versa
 80% to 90% of the body's potassium is excreted through the kidneys daily
 damaged RBCs release potassium into the circulating fluid resulting in hyperkalemia
 POTASSIUM IS NOT REABSORBED BY THE KIDNEYS SO MUST BE REPLACED THROUGH DIETARY
CONSUMPTION