3.)What are the adverse medical implications of this condition

Adverse Medical Implications

• Muscle weakness and paralysis (more negative resting membrane potential)

• Respiratory– Hypoventilation (due to respiratory muscle

weakness or paralysis)• Gastrointestinal– Paralytic ileus

Adverse Medical Implications

• Muscle weakness and paralysis (more negative resting membrane potential)

• Respiratory– Hypoventilation (due to respiratory muscle

weakness or paralysis)• Gastrointestinal– Paralytic ileus

Adverse Medical Implications

• Cardiac– ECG changes• Due to delayed ventricular repolarization• Early changes: flattening or inversion of T wave,

prominent U wave, ST-segment depression, prolonged QU interval• Severe K+ depletion: prolonged PR interval, decreased

voltage and widening of QRS complex

A: Normal

B: flattening of T wave

C-F:U wave, ST-depression, prolonged QU interval

Adverse Medical Implications

• Cardiac– Increased risk for ventricular arrythmias– Potential digitalis toxicity– Risk for Hypertension

• Exercising skeletal muscle insufficient blood flow increased risk for rhabdomyolysis

• Metabolic acidosis (due to increased bicarbonate excretion)

Adverse Medical Implications

• Renal– Risk for renal cystic disease• HypoK leads to increased ammoniagenesis which may

activate the complement system– Mild Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus (NDI)• Defective activation of adenylate cyclase = decrease

effect of vasopressin

• Endocrine– Glucose intolerance = due to decreased insulin or

insulin resistance

4. What is the significance of the urinary potassium levels?

Potassium Regulation• Kidney

– K+ balance: Urinary K+ excretion= Dietary intake– Decreased secretion: Low K+ diet, hypoaldosteronism, acidosis, K+

sparing diuretics• GIT

– dietary K+ is absorbed in the small intestine by passive diffusion– K+ is secreted in the colon through aldosterone stimulation

• in diarrhea, K+ secretion by the colon is increased

Urinary Potassium level

• NV = 25 - 100 meq/L• patient has decreased urinary K+ (15meq/L)• a decrease of:– <25meq/L - diarrhea– >40meq/L - diuretics