what cause low potassium
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Low Potassium (Hypokalemia) Low potassium can occur for many reasons. Use of water pills (diuretics), diarrhea, and chronic laxative abuse are the most common causes of low potassium levels. Illness and other medications may also lower potassium levels. Woman and African-Americans are at higher risk of developing hypokalemia. Other causes of hypokalemia include: Certain kidney disorders such as renal tubular acidosis (for example, chronic kidney failure and acute kidney failure)
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What Causes Low Potassium And Potassium Deficiency? What Causes Low Potassium. Digestive issues are a big cause of low potassium and magnesium levels. There are two ways that digestive issues can cause electrolyte imbalances. Digestive Losses. The first way is through losses such as diarrhea and vomiting where the potassium is lost in the body fluid losses.
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Signs & Symptoms of Low Potassium in Women Hypokalemia is a medical condition characterized by unusually low potassium levels and occurs most commonly in people who overuse diuretics or have kidney disease or an eating disorder. Low potassium levels arise when your blood levels of this nutrient dip below 3.5 milliequivalents per liter or mEq/L.
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- A potassium level that is too high or too low can be serious. Abnormal potassium levels may cause symptoms such as muscle cramps or weakness, nausea, diarrhea, frequent urination, dehydration, low blood pressure, confusion, irritability, paralysis, and changes in heart rhythm.
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- The most common cause is excessive potassium loss in urine due to prescription water or fluid pills (diuretics). Vomiting or diarrhea or both can result in excessive potassium loss from the digestive tract. Only rarely is low potassium caused by not getting enough potassium in your diet.
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Lightheaded Feeling From Low Potassium Hypokalemia Causes. Hypokalemia is the medical term for low levels of potassium in the body, and your level is considered low when it falls below 3.6 mEq/L, or milliequivalents per liter. When your level falls below 2.5 mEq/L it can be life-threatening, reports MayoClinic.com.
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Potassium and Chronic Kidney Disease Some of the effects of low potassium include muscle weakness, cramping and fatigue. When kidneys fail they can no longer remove excess potassium, so the level builds up in the body. High potassium in the blood is called hyperkalemia, which may occur in people with advanced stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
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- Low potassium (hypokalemia) has many causes. The most common cause is excessive potassium loss in urine due to prescription water or fluid pills (diuretics). Vomiting or diarrhea or both can result in excessive potassium loss from the digestive tract.Only rarely is low potassium caused by not getting enough potassium in your diet. Causes of potassium loss leading to low potassium include: 1  Chronic kidney disease. 2  Diabetic ketoacidosis. 3  Diarrhea. 4  Excessive alcohol use.omiting or diarrhea or both can result in excessive potassium loss from the digestive tract. Only rarely is low potassium caused by not getting enough potassium in your diet. Causes of potassium loss leading to low potassium include: 1  Chronic kidney disease. 2  Diabetic ketoacidosis. 3  Diarrhea. 4  Excessive alcohol use.
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What Causes Potassium Deficiency? When the body is unable to absorb potassium or does not receive potassium in foods, the result is a potassium deficiency. Eating Disorders. One cause of a potassium deficiency is eating disorders. The two main eating disorders are anorexia and bulimia.
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- The most common cause is excessive potassium loss in urine due to prescription water or fluid pills (diuretics). Vomiting or diarrhea or both can result in excessive potassium loss from the digestive tract. Only rarely is low potassium caused by not getting enough potassium in your diet.Causes of potassium loss leading to low potassium include: 1  Chronic kidney disease. 2  Diabetic ketoacidosis.3  Diarrhea. 4  Excessive alcohol use.omiting or diarrhea or both can result in excessive potassium loss from the digestive tract. Only rarely is low potassium caused by not getting enough potassium in your diet. Causes of potassium loss leading to low potassium include: 1  Chronic kidney disease. 2  Diabetic ketoacidosis. 3  Diarrhea. 4  Excessive alcohol use.
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Low potassium (hypokalaemia) Dehydration, diarrhoea, excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) and laxative abuse are common causes of low potassium levels. It may also be caused by a lack of potassium in the diet; however, this is uncommon.
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- Hypokalemia is not commonly caused by poor dietary intake. The most common reason that potassium levels fall is due to the loss from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the kidney. Potassium loss from the GI tract may be caused by: 1  Vomiting. 2  Diarrhea. 3  Ileostomy: In some patients who have had bowel surgery and have an ileostomy, the stool output can contain significant amounts of potassium. 4  Villous adenoma (a type of colon polyp that can cause the colon to leak potassium). 5  Laxative use.
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Ton Learn about this topic in these articles: definition. unit of weight in the avoirdupois system equal to 2,000 pounds (907.18 kg) in the United States (the short ton) and 2,240 pounds (1,016.05 kg) in Britain (the long ton). The metric ton used in most other countries is 1,000 kg, equivalent to 2,204.6 pounds avoirdupois. The term derives from tun, denoting a large barrel used in the wine trade and named from...
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WARNING - LOW POTASSIUM IS DANGEROUS Hypokalemia is a metabolic disorder that occurs when the level of potassium in the blood drops too low. Possible causes of hypokalemia include: Antibiotics (penicillin, nafcillin, carbenicillin, gentamicin, amphotericin B, foscarnet) Diarrhea (including the use of too many laxatives, which can cause diarrhea)
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Potassium Most people who eat a healthy diet should get enough potassium naturally. However, many Americans don't eat a healthy diet and may be deficient in potassium. Low potassium is associated with a risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, cancer, digestive disorders, and infertility. For people with low potassium, doctors sometimes recommend improved diets -- or potassium supplements -- to prevent or treat some of these conditions.
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The Relationship Between Low Potassium and Muscle Weakness Hypokalemia is a condition that is caused by loss through the integuments in your digestive system and also through your kidneys. The two major causes for the loss of potassium from the digestive system can be vomiting and diarrhea. In addition to this, excessive laxative use and intestinal surgeries can also cause this.
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What Makes Your Potassium Level Drop? Some medical conditions may cause low potassium levels. Having a magnesium deficiency can also cause a potassium deficiency. Chronic kidney failure may cause decreased potassium because the kidneys lose the ability to remove the correct amount of potassium from the body.
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What Causes Potassium Deficiency? Both cause potassium deficiency to occur in different ways. A deficiency of potassium in the body is caused by anorexia because the body is starved of valuable nutrients, vitamins and minerals including potassium. Without adequate consumption of foods rich in potassium, a deficiency occurs.
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- Hypokalemia sometimes occurs with or is caused by a low level of magnesium in the blood (hypomagnesemia). Hypokalemia is rarely caused by consuming too little potassium because many foods (such as beans, dark leafy greens, potatoes, fish, and bananas) contain potassium. Cause.
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Hypokalemia (Low Potassium) 1 Some medications may cause potassium loss which can lead to hypokalemia. 2  Common medications include loop diuretics (such as Furosemide). 3  Other drugs include steroids, licorice, sometimes aspirin, and certain antibiotics.
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- The body needs potassium for nerve and muscle cells to function, but too much potassium can also interfere with function (see Overview of Potassium). The most common cause of mild hyperkalemia is the use of drugs that decrease blood flow to the kidneys or prevent the kidneys from excreting normal amounts of potassium. Kidney failure can cause severe hyperkalemia on its own. Addison disease can also cause hyperkalemia.
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Side Effects of Low Potassium & Low Sodium Complications of Low Potassium. Complications associated with low potassium levels include problems with muscles and problems with the heart. Muscles in the body may cramp, feel weak or spasm. Muscle fibers may also begin to break down and release into the blood, causing damage to the kidneys.
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- Get a diagnosis early. Extended or severe low potassium can affect the heart. Low potassium levels can cause change in its proper function. This can include irregular heartbeats, such as dangerous arrhythmia in severe cases.
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Potassium Other possible causes of hypokalemia are 1  : medications that lead to potassium loss, such as certain antibiotics, steriods, and diuretics (“water pills” used to treat heart failure, high blood pressure, or fluid retention, that are possibly the most common cause of deficiency)
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- When potassium levels are low, the cells cannot repolarize and are unable to fire repeatedly, and muscles and nerves may not function normally. The effects of low potassium include may cause the following symptoms: 1  muscle weakness,  muscle aches,
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- Vomiting or diarrhea or both can result in excessive potassium loss from the digestive tract. Only rarely is low potassium caused by not getting enough potassium in your diet. Causes of potassium loss leading to low potassium include: 1  Chronic kidney disease. 2  Diabetic ketoacidosis.