Low plasma potassium level can cause muscle weakness, lassitude, constipation as well as rhabdomyolysis and arrhythmias, when severe. In muscle, low plasma potassium increases resting membrane potential (hyperpolarization) of myocytes that tend to make muscle more refractory to excitation, leading to muscle weakness. Hypokalemia can be associated with a myriad of causes including drugs of abuse...

Secondary hypertension is responsible for less than 10% of cases of hypertension. If associated with hypokalemia, it may be due to primary or secondary hyperaldostronism, the latter being rarely caused by renin-secreting tumors. We present a 22-year-old woman with a history of hypertension and repeated hypokalemia, who was finally diagnosed with a small renin-secreting tumor after extensive par...

Gitelman syndrome is an inherited renal tubular disorder characterized by hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis. It is distinguished from other hypokalemic tubulopathies, such as Bartter syndrome, by the presence of both hypomagnesemia and hypocalciuria. We report a case of Gitelman syndrome in a 10-year-old girl who presented for examination of persistent unexplained hypokalemia. She had no severe c...

A 52-year-old man was noted to have severe chronic hypokalemia despite discontinuation of diuretic treatment for hypertension and aggressive oral potassium supplementation. His serum potassium normalized temporarily when he was hospitalized, but hypokalemia recurred after discharge. He complained of generalized weakness and fatigue, and occasional loose stools. Physical examination showed mild ...

Rhabdomyolysis continues to appear with increasing frequency and represents a medical emergency requiring rapid appropriate treatment. One of the unusual causes of nontraumatic rhabdomyolysis is hypokalemic periodic paralysis without secondary causes. Primary hypokalemic periodic paralysis is a rare genetic disease characterized by episodic attacks of muscle weakness due to decreases in serum p...

Prolonged hypokalemia from chronic laxative abuse is recognized as the cause of chronic tubulointerstitial disease, known as "hypokalemic nephropathy," but it is not clear whether it contributes to acute kidney injury (AKI). A 42-year-old woman with a history of chronic kidney disease as a result of chronic laxative abuse from a purging type of anorexia nervosa (AN-P), developed an anuric AKI r...

Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is a potentially lethal complication of hyperthyroidism characterized by recurrent muscle weakness and hypokalemia. It has been commonly reported in non-Asian populations. Four cases were reported in Saudis so far, and one had a life-threatening arrhythmia. We describe an additional case of a 28-year-old apparently healthy Saudi male patient, who presented wi...

BACKGROUND Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is commonly observed in patients with acute paralysis and hyperthyroidism. However, there is a possibility of secondary causes of hypokalemia in such a setting. CASE REPORT Herein, we present the case of a 38-year-old woman with untreated hypertension and hyperthyroidism. She presented with muscle weakness, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea since one ...

ABSTRACT Hypokalemia is a blood potassium concentration below 3.5 mEq / L levels classified as mild hypokalemia (3-3.5 L), moderate (2.5-3 L) and severe (<2.5 in hypokalemia, Potassium one of the electrolytes that has an important role body which will cause leg muscle weakness, ileus to abdominal distention, Advanced conditions respiratory weakness failure Given importance giving correction ...

We describe an unusual patient presenting with a history of refractory hypertension and hypokalemia. Initial screening tests for adrenal hypertension were consistent with primary aldosteronism and an abdominal computed tomography scan showed an 8-mm left adrenal mass. However, adrenal venous sampling revealed markedly suppressed plasma aldosterone in the left adrenal vein but increased plasma a...