Potassium and Magnesium: how low is too low?
Conclusion: Adverse events in patients with hypoK were rare and not directly related to the K level. But just one case of death is enough to affect patient management.Case continued:The patient felt better after treatment, including K supplementation, and wanted to go home. She was told that this was a very bad idea and that she could die.Shortly thereafter, she became unresponsive and was found to be in ventricular fibrillation.She was defibrillated.All serial troponins were negative.Learning Point:Hypokalemia with associated ECG abnormalities is very dangerous.Here is a previous case of ventricular fibrillation from hypokalemia:Prehospital Ventricular Fibrillation in a Young Woman. What is the Diagnosis?Here is a detailed post on hypokalemia:STEMI with Life-Threatening Hypokalemia and Incessant Torsades de Pointes
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - Category: Cardiology Authors: Steve Smith Source Type: blogs
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