173 Potassium Supplementation

Question 1

Concentration of potassium:

• intracellularly
• extracellularly

Answer 1

Approximately 140 mEq/L intracellularly and 4 mEq/L extracellularly

Question 2

Clinical signs of hypokaliemia, below what concentration of potassium ?

Answer 2

• Muscle weakness : serum potassium < 3 mEq/L
• Increases in creatine kinase <2.5 mEq/L
• Cardiac arrhythmias < 2.5 mmol/L
• Rhabdomyolysis < 2 mEq/L
• Hindend weakness, plantigrade stance
• Cervical ventroflexion in cats
• Respiratory muscle weakness +/- nessitating ventilatory support
• Polyuria, polydipsia : hypokalemic nephropathy= renal vasoconstriction => decrease in renal blood flow and GFR => impaired responsiveness to ADH

Question 3

Maximum safe rate for potassium supplementation?

Answer 3

<0.5 mEq/kg/h

Question 4

Refractory hypokaliemia despite high-level supplementation: what other supplementation can be considered?

Answer 4

Magnesium