What Are the Causes of Low Potassium Level?

Hypokalemia is a condition that occurs when someone has a potassium level that is lower than normal. Potassium is a critical nutrient, responsible for the proper function of the nerves to the muscles, including the heart. Having a low potassium level is considered an emergency, requiring medical treatment immediately.

Symptoms

Most of the time, the symptoms of low potassium are vague and non-specific. Symptoms of low potassium levels include weakness, fatigue, muscle cramps, constipation, irregular heart rhythms, faintness due to low blood pressure and hallucinations.

If you begin to experience these symptoms and do not know what is causing them, contact your doctor or go to the emergency room immediately. Low potassium levels in the blood can become life-threatening very quickly if left untreated.

Diagnosis

Low potassium levels are normally a symptom of another condition. Blood tests are routinely performed in cases where low potassium is suspected. These blood tests can quickly confirm the presence of a low potassium condition as well as check for underlying causes such as kidney insufficiency, diabetes and electrolyte imbalances. Another diagnostic test that is run is an ECG, or electrocardiogram. This will determine if the heart is functioning properly or not, which may be an indicator of low potassium.

Causes

Low potassium can be caused by a number of things. Most commonly, potassium is lost through the urine due to the following: the use of diuretics, diarrhea, eating disorders, excessive use of laxatives, chronic kidney failure and vomiting.

Rarely, but possibly, low potassium levels can be attributed to not getting enough of the nutrient in the diet. Potassium is found naturally in many foods such as bananas and potatoes, and are also included in multivitamin preparations.

Treatment

Treating low potassium will require a certain amount of self-care, including avoiding strenuous activities (as potassium can be lost through sweating), stopping the use of herbal supplements, laxatives and diuretics, and eating properly balanced meals.

Medical management will often supplement self-care. Potassium replacement therapy will usually be prescribed by the treating physician. How this therapy is administered will depend on the severity of the condition. Mild to moderate cases of low potassium will require oral potassium supplements to be taken by the patient under the supervision of a physician. More severe cases will require heart monitoring and intravenous administration of potassium to prevent cardiac arrest.

Prevention/Solution

Preventing low potassium is paramount to maintaining good health. A change in diet may be recommended if you are likely to develop low potassium levels or have experienced them before. Examples of foods that are high in potassium include bananas, tomatoes, oranges, red cantaloupes and peaches.

Only use diuretics and laxatives under a doctor's care, and if you are taking medication, ask the doctor how often electrolyte levels should be checked to avoid this potentially life-threatening condition.