How Do You Understand What Causes Low Potassium?
Ninety-eight percent of the body’s potassium is contained inside the cells. Potassium is an electrolyte, and it effects skeletal and cardiac function. Low levels of circulating potassium can result in serious health problems. Here are a few steps to help you understand the causes of low potassium. Realize that excessive vomiting and diarrhea can cause low potassium, called hypokalemia, because large amounts of potassium are contained in gastric fluids. Consider that too much insulin secretion can cause hypokalemia because insulin promotes potassium to enter skeletal muscle cells. Understand that alcoholics, and the debilitated elderly, and people with unhealthy diets are prone to hypokalemia because of poor nutrition, resulting in increased potassium loss due to illness. Know that taking diuretics, which are drugs that increase your urination, often cause hypokalemia because of renal potassium being depleted. Furosemide, the thiazides and ethacrynic acid are known as “potassium-losing
