Micro Nutrient Disease: Hypokalemia

Running head: ADVANCED NUTRITION
ADVANCED NUTRITION
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ADVANCED NUTRITION1
Micro Nutrient Disease: Hypokalemia
Part 1
In human body, nutrients play a major role in the functioning of the tissues and organs.
Both macro and micronutrients are important for effective functioning. However, deficiency of
macronutrients leads to fatal diseases osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, insomnia, muscular
weakness, poor memory and many more. One of the fatal diseases caused by the deficiency of
macronutrient is Hypokalemia. This disease is caused by the reduced levels of Potassium in the
blood stream. The term hypokalemia is derived from hypo meaning “under”, kalium meaning
“potassium” and emia meaning “blood condition” (Daly and Farrington, 2013). It is the one of
the familiar water electrolyte imbalances. In human body, cells compose almost 98% of the
body’s potassium and the remaining are found in the extracellular fluid, blood. Because of the
polar nature of potassium, it generates a concentration gradient, governed by sodium-potassium
pump (Na+/K+).
Nerve functions are governed by the electrochemical gradient of the potassium, which
occurs in between extracellular and intracellular region of the body. The main function of
potassium is to repolarize the cell membrane to the state of resting after an event of active
potential. The resting membrane gets hyperpolarized due to the reduced levels of potassium, this
incident is often termed as Goldman equation because the hyperpolarization is caused by the
alterations of potassium gradient. In order to depolarize higher than normal stimulus is required
to activate the action potential. The reduced levels of potassium cause delay in ventricular
repolarization and the activity of IKr potassium is inhibited. These delayed repolarization results
in reentrant arrhythmias.

ADVANCED NUTRITION2
Hypokalemia can be caused by various disorders and medications like dialysis,
hypomagnesemia, vomiting, steroids, hyoeraldosteronism, insipidus, genetic kidney disorder,
increased blood pressure, chewing tobacco, excessive perspiration, high dosage of penicillin,
diabetes, obesity, hyperthyroidism, heart attack, skin loss, diarrhea, and inability to consume
food. The symptoms of this disease can be severe because the symptoms like tiredness,
weakness, cramps and constipation can slow down the rhythm of heartbeat and heart attack. In a
healthy individual, the levels of potassium are 3.5 – 5.0 mmol/L and the level of potassium
suffering from hypokalemia is less than 3.5mmol/L. these potassium levels are governed with the
help of electrocardiogram. The reports of electrocardiogram are represented by the T waves
heights. U wave curve imposed on T wave occurs due to prolonged reploarization ventricular
Purkinje fibres. The graph produces prolonged QT intervals due to the low level (3mEq/L) of
potassium in blood serum. There is a formula to calculate potassium deficiency, which is
Kdeficit (in mmol) = (Knormal lower limit − Kmeasured) × body weight (kg) × 0.4
The treatment of hypokalemia involves the improvement of potassium level by diet or
treating disorders like diarrhea and by prescribing appropriate medications based on the
requirements of the patient. Mild hypokalemia can be treated by consuming potassium rich foods
orally or by taking potassium rich supplements. Foods like lima beans, leafy green vegetables,
coconut water, bananas, red meats, citrus foods, potatoes, broccoli, avocadoes, kiwis, tomatoes,
nuts, mangoes, bran cereals and many more are rich in potassium and are safe to consume in
order to increase the potassium levels. Intravenous supplementation is required to treat severe
hypokalemia (Veltri and Mason, 2015). Intravenous supplementation are generally given through
central line to avoid heating sensation at the infusion site, sometimes it might cause damage to
vein because of highly concentrated potassium. In the situation when the patient is resistant to