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- Title
Unusual causes of hypokalaemia and paralysis.
- Authors
M. Alazami; S.-H. Lin; C.-J. Cheng; M.R. Davids; M.L. Halperin
- Abstract
We demonstrate how the application of physiological principles may help to identify unusual causes of a very low plasma potassium (K+) concentration (PK) and paralysis. In the two patients described, the short time course of the illness suggested that there was an acute shift of K+ into cells. The combination of a low rate of excretion of K+, the absence of a metabolic acid-base disorder, and the fact that the clinical findings occurred very soon after a large intake of carbohydrate supported this impression. Surprisingly, the PK remained low for many hours after these stimuli to shift K+ into cells had abated. The missing link in this story was eventually provided by the attending medical team with the help of their mentor, Professor McCance.
- Publication
QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 2006, Vol 99, Issue 3, p181
- ISSN
1460-2725
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/qjmed/hcl011