What happens to the body if there is an excess - a lack of potassium in the blood?

Potassium in the blood helps to maintain the body's homeostasis. Both hypokalemia and hyperkalemia can be life-threatening. So what happens to the body if there is an excess or a lack of potassium in the blood?

Potassium is an extremely important electrolyte of the body to help maintain normal activities, especially of the cardiovascular, muscular, digestive, and urinary systems, especially having an indispensable role in activities. neuromuscular movement. Deficiency - excess of potassium in the blood is always a potential threat to the patient's life, often causing dangerous arrhythmia symptoms. On the other hand, potassium also helps the body produce protein from amino acids and convert glucose into glycogen (the body's main reserve polysaccharide) a major source of energy for all body activities.
Total body potassium (including intracellular, interstitial and blood levels is about 50mEq/kg body weight with 98% of potassium in cells. Normal blood potassium levels are about 3.5 - 5.5mEq/L. When potassium in the blood is above 5.5mEq/L, it is called hyperkalemia and when the amount of potassium rises below 3.5 mEq/L, it is hypokalemia which can cause dangerous arrhythmias for the patient.
The amount of potassium in the blood varies depending on the concentration of potassium inside and outside the cells and the amount of potassium lost through the kidneys, through sweat, and through feces. potassium is lost daily
Potassium is mainly found inside cells and plays an important role in metabolic processes, participating in the pH regulation buffer system of cells. Because if it is too much or too little, it can lead to pathological manifestations.A diet that combines many foods often provides enough potassium for the body.

2.1 Manifestations of hyperkalemia Hyperkalemia when blood potassium is greater than 5mmol/l. When this ratio is greater than 7mmol/l, it will be life-threatening. Detected symptoms: apathy, numbness of the fingertips, decreased tendon reflexes (late appearance).
Manifestations of hyperkalemia are generally poor, patients only feel muscle weakness, muscle paralysis, pain in the calves, biceps, paresthesias, cramps, nausea, vomiting. Cardiovascular symptoms are always present and are dangerous complications. Patients with a feeling of palpitations, aborted heart rate (extrasystole), more severe will have hypotension, cardiac arrest and the patient will die quickly if not treated promptly.
Do an electrocardiogram to identify the signs of hyperkalemia as well as the typical arrhythmias of hyperkalemia: high, pointed, symmetrical T waves; later, there is a wide QRS complex, lanceolate... ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation... and rapid tests show very high blood potassium levels.
2.2 What to do when there are signs of hyperkalemia? When a patient has symptoms of suspected hyperkalemia, immediately stop all sources of potassium entering the body such as drugs or infusions containing potassium. Then quickly determine if the patient has true hyperkalemia. If hyperkalemia is present, rapidly reduce blood potassium levels in the treatment facility. Hyperkalemia is treated with intravenous drip of Bicarbonate Na solution, hypertonic Glucose solution - if urinating less or anuria, extrarenal dialysis must be performed, and at the same time, foods rich in potassium should be removed. 2.3 Causes of hyperkalemia The most common causes of hyperkalemia are:
Acute kidney failure Chronic kidney disease Other causes of hyperkalemia include:
Addison's disease (adrenal insufficiency) ACE inhibitors angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) Angiotensin II receptor blockers Beta-blockers Dehydration Destruction of red blood cells due to severe injury or severe burns Excessive use of potassium supplements Type 1 diabetes.

3.1 How does hypokalemia affect? Potassium affects neuromuscular cells to release energy (depolarization) and then re-energise (polarize) to further release energy. When potassium levels are low, cells cannot polarize and release energy continuously, making muscles and nerves unable to function properly.
Hypokalemia when serum potassium is less than 3.5 mmol/l, can cause symptoms: fatigue, neuromuscular weakness, persistent constipation and abdominal distention. More severe can cause arrhythmia: ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, leading to death. Detected by quantification of potassium in the blood, by electrocardiogram (an early sign: the appearance of U waves sometimes very large, T waves decrease in amplitude, biphasic or negative, ST segment elevation gradually below isoelectric).
Treatment of mild hypokalemia can be corrected with oral solution. Supplement with foods rich in potassium: meat, fish, fresh vegetables, fruit juices, chocolate, vegetables, dried fruits, tea buds, bananas, apricots...
If the blood potassium deficiency is severe, it is necessary to drip KCL into the blood. blood vessel.
3.2 Causes of Hypokalemia Low potassium can occur for many reasons, but the most common causes are diuretic use, diarrhea, and long-term laxative abuse. Certain medical conditions and medications can lower blood potassium levels.
Causes of hypokalemia include:
Kidney damage:
Certain kidney disorders such as tubular acidosis (in chronic and acute renal failure) Magnesium deficiency Leukemia Cushing's disease (and disorders) other adrenal disorders). Loss of potassium through the stomach and intestines due to:
Vomiting Excessive enema due to laxative use Diarrhea After surgery to remove the small intestine. Drug effects:
Diuretics Aminoglycosides (an antibiotic). Transporting potassium in and out of cells can lower blood potassium levels:
Use of insulin Certain metabolic conditions (such as alkalosis). Reduced food intake or malnutrition
Anorexia bulimia Fatigue surgery Alcoholism. Above is a summary of information about hyperkalemia - hypokalemia. As soon as you see the above signs appear, you need to go to a medical facility for immediate examination to be diagnosed and treated promptly to avoid unfortunate things happening.