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- Title
An approach to the patient with severe hypokalaemia: the potassium quiz.
- Authors
J.H.M. Groeneveld; Y.W.J. Sijpkens; S.-H. Lin; M.R. Davids; M.L. Halperin
- Abstract
The objective of this teaching session with Professor McCance is to develop an approach to the management of patients with a very low plasma potassium (K+) concentration (PK). The session begins with a quiz based on six recent medical consultations for a PK < 2?mmol/l. Professor McCance outlined how he would proceed with his diagnosis and therapy, using the synopsis that described each patient. This approach was then applied to a new patient, a 69-year-old woman who had a large volume of dependant oedema and developed a severe degree of weakness and hypokalaemia during more aggressive diuretic therapy that included a K+-sparing diuretic. The initial challenge for Professor McCance was to deduce why the K+-sparing diuretic was not effective in this patient. He also needed to explain why the PK was so low on admission.
- Subjects
THERAPEUTICS; HYPOKALEMIA; OLDER women; POTASSIUM in the body
- Publication
QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 2005, Vol 98, Issue 4, p305
- ISSN
1460-2725
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/qjmed/hci046