Summary
Differentials
Common
- Vomiting
- Severe diarrhea
- Laxative and bowel cleansing agent use
- Bulimia nervosa
- Anorexia nervosa
- Drug-induced
- Alcohol use disorder
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
- Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state
- Primary aldosteronism
- Exercising in a hot climate/heat stroke
- Stress response in critical illness
Uncommon
- Villous adenoma
- VIPoma
- Ileal loop/conduit with ureteric implants
- Dialysis or plasmapheresis
- Apparent mineralocorticoid excess
- Cushing syndrome
- Arginine vasopressin deficiency (central diabetes insipidus)
- Hypomagnesemia
- Hypokalemic periodic paralysis
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 11-beta-hydroxylase deficiency
- Renal tubular acidosis
- Bartter syndrome
- Gitelman syndrome
- Liddle syndrome
- Kidney disease associated with Sjögren syndrome
- Kidney disease associated with lupus nephropathy
- Burns
- Eczema involving a large surface area
- Psoriasis involving a large surface area
- Cystic fibrosis
- Primary (often psychogenic) polydipsia
- Hypothermia
Contributors
Authors
Udaya Kabadi, MD
Professor of Medicine
University of Iowa
Des Moines Internal Medicine Residency Training Program
Staff Endocrinologist
Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Des Moines, IA
Disclosures
UK declares that he has no competing interests.
Bilal H. Baig, DO
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Department of Internal Medicine
University of Iowa - Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
Des Moines, IA
Disclosures
BHB declares that he has no competing interests.
Acknowledgements
Dr Udaya Kabadi and Dr Bilal H. Baig would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Sumit Sharma and Dr Preeti Agrawal, previous contributors to this topic.
Disclosures
SS and PA declare that they have no competing interests.
Peer reviewers
Bryan M Tucker, DO, MS
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Section of Nephrology
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
Disclosures
BMT declares that he has no competing interests.
Dimitrios Kirmizis, MD, MSc, PhD
Nephrologist
Aristotle University
Thessaloniki
Greece
Disclosures
DK declares that he has no competing interests.
Peer reviewer acknowledgements
BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.
Disclosures
Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.
References
Key articles
Unwin RJ, Luft FC, Shirley DG. Pathophysiology and management of hypokalemia: a clinical perspective. Nat Rev Nephrol. 2011 Feb;7(2):75-84. Abstract
Kardalas E, Paschou SA, Anagnostis P, et al. Hypokalemia: a clinical update. Endocr Connect. 2018 Apr;7(4):R135-46.Full text Abstract
Greenlee M, Wingo CS, McDonough AA, et al. Narrative review: evolving concepts in potassium homeostasis and hypokalemia. Ann Intern Med. 2009 May 5;150(9):619-25. Abstract
Reference articles
A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
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