What would severe potassium deficiency do after 3 years if left untreated?
I'm a bit rusty on this but potassium is essential for bodily function. It is necessary for electrical impulse transmission and muscle function. It is also vital for maintaining the correct water balance in the body. If you had a severe potassium deficiency untreated for three years, you would lose the ability to use your muscles, including your heart. So…You'd be dead.
No, none of the above is true. I have had many patients in Hospital ICU's over the years with just that problem. Normal levels are 4-5mcg/L and anything under 3.5 is considered hypokalemic (low blood serum potassium) and anything under 2.0 is critical.
Depending on what other medications the patient is on, and their co-morbitities, (eg. renal failure and digoxin), life-threatening cardiac arrythmias (irregular heart beat rythmns) and acute myocardial infarct (MI, heart attack) would be the result of untreated critically low blood serum potassium. In short, a hear attack and sudden death.
If you are suspecting that you or someone you know has the signs and symptoms of hypokalemia (severe muscle cramping, irregular heart beats), go to ER immediately or call 911, as it is a life-threatening situation and not to be taken lightly.
If this is a chronic condition, go see your doctor for blood tests and if it is low, the doc will offer you a script for 10-20mEq KCl tabs or capsules. Common causes of chronic and slow developing hypokalemia can be anything from insulin issues, 'water pills' such as hydrochlorothiazine or furosemide, or albuterol inhalers, etc…
Take care,
Dr. Nostrum, Pharm.D.
Your body starts to malfunction. I remember watching on Discovery Heath, a patients legs became paralyzed and started to spread to his diaphragm. If it reached there, he would have died, due to organ failure.
3 years? you think you're lucky enough to make it 3 years with a severe potassium deficiency? try 3 days if not treated, it can kill you… if it is truly severe
Why a potassium deficiency, for that long. Eat bananas.
Severe muscle atrophy.