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Whats the relationship between hypokalemia and fluid retention,?
how does hypokalemia cause fluid retention……..??????????
Chosen Answer:
Well, it’s a little more complicated than it looks.
Fluid retention can occur for a broad number of reasons–renal insufficiency is one, as is congestive heart failure, but there’s a numbe of endocrine/metabolic things, like SIADH, that can drive it.
Serum potassium can be driven down by:
*Diuretics, most of which cause loss of potassium (Check Lasix and HCTZ, but exceptions would be spironolactone and triamterine and amiloride, which can cause potassium to rise)
*Dilution, which involves either failure to excrete water adequately, or ingestion of massive amounts of water–I’ve handled both, actually
*Shifts of potassium from the bloodstream into the cells; one of the commonest (although by no means the only) things that will drive that is a good sized dose of insulin dropping a high blood sugar rapidly enough; I’ve had to handle that mess, too
There are others, but that’s a good start.
by: gandalf
on: 8th April 06
2 comments
Permalink1
Hi There! Hypokalemia is usually the result of fluid retention. Fluid retention occurs by ususally 3 common medical conditions: heart failure, liver cirrhosis, and renal failure. When the fluid is decreased (ie. diuretics like Lasix) the electrolytes return to normal.
Hypokalemia can also occur if the body is depleted of K. This can occur by malnourishment (nursing homes, people not eating correctly, etc.) Physicians check K with other electrolytes every morning in hospitalized patients. If you have any other questions, feel free to email me!
Permalink2
Well, it’s a little more complicated than it looks.
Fluid retention can occur for a broad number of reasons–renal insufficiency is one, as is congestive heart failure, but there’s a numbe of endocrine/metabolic things, like SIADH, that can drive it.
Serum potassium can be driven down by:
*Diuretics, most of which cause loss of potassium (Check Lasix and HCTZ, but exceptions would be spironolactone and triamterine and amiloride, which can cause potassium to rise)
*Dilution, which involves either failure to excrete water adequately, or ingestion of massive amounts of water–I’ve handled both, actually
*Shifts of potassium from the bloodstream into the cells; one of the commonest (although by no means the only) things that will drive that is a good sized dose of insulin dropping a high blood sugar rapidly enough; I’ve had to handle that mess, too
There are others, but that’s a good start.