common acid-base disorders associated with hypokalaemia
Last edited 07/2024
common acid-base disorders associated with hypokalaemia
type of disturbance |
key feature |
hypokalaemic acidosis |
|
diarrhoea, laxative misuse, and other lower gastrointestinal loss |
normal serum chloride |
diabetic ketoacidosis |
high ketones; potassium drops after IV insulin is administered |
renal tubular acidosis |
associated with autoimmune disease (type 1) and Fanconi's syndrome (type 2) |
hypokalaemic alkalosis |
|
vomiting and other upper GI loss |
low serum chloride |
mineralocorticoid excess (such as primary hyperaldosteronism) |
high blood pressure |
hereditary renal channelopathies: |
|
Bartter's syndrome |
presents in the childhood |
Gitelman's syndrome |
often asymptomatic, presents in the adulthood |
Liddle's syndrome |
high blood pressure, low rennin and aldosterone |
diuretic use |
drug history |
Reference:
(1) McDonald TJ, Oram RA, Vaidya B. Investigating hyperkalaemia in adults. BMJ. 2015;351:4762.