An average human body contains about 3.5 to 5.0mmol/l of potassium, not a lot of people know this but a deficiency of potassium can cause a severe condition of Hypokalemia. The potassium levels lower than 2.5mmol/l indicate a serious lack of potassium. Hypokalemia can be detected through a simple blood test or an electrocardiogram. Medication side-effects and dialysis are the most primary causes of hypokalemia.
Replacement of potassium is recognized as the most efficient of potassium deficiency, the speed of recovery and complete replacement depends upon the severity of deficiency projected in the electrocardiogram. However, not all kinds of deficiency are need to treated through medically replacing potassium, mild cases can also be cured with little dietary alterations or potassium supplements. Morsels of intravenous potassium which are less than 20mmol should be given at different intervals in about an hour, and the extensive volumes of more than 40mmol should be given a strenuous central line. Potassium replacement also triggers the need for replacing magnesium replacement.
Low potassium deficiency is quite common and it is responsible for almost 20% of total US hospitalized patients. We have prepared a list of the ten most common symptoms of potassium deficiency so that the patients could seek proper treatment immediately.
