APRIL 5, 2023

HYPOKALEMIA

UNIVERSIDAD DE ZAMBOANGA
Topic Outline
ASSESSMENT
ORGAN INVOLVED
NORMAL FUNCTION
MANIFESTATIONS/PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
DIAGNOSIS
TREATMENT
PROGNOSIS
ANALYSIS

TODAY'S
DISCUSSION
WHAT IS
HYPOKALEMIA?

Low potassium (hypokalemia) refers to a lower

than normal potassium level in your bloodstream.
Potassium helps carry electrical signals to cells
in your body. It is critical to the proper
functioning of nerve and muscles cells,
particularly heart muscle cells.
 ASSESSMENT

SUBJECTIVE:
"NANGHIHINA ANAK KO
KAYA DI SIYA MAKALAKAD
NGAYON"

OBJECTIVE DATA:
BODY WEAKNESS OF
LOWER EXTREMITIES

DIAGNOSIS: HYPOKALEMIA
ORGAN INVOLVED

KIDNEYS
NORMAL
FUNCTION

Healthy kidneys remove excess potassium in the urine to help maintain

normal levels in the blood. Because most foods have potassium, low
potassium (hypokalemia) is uncommon in people who eat a healthy diet.
Some of the effects of low potassium include muscle weakness,
cramping and fatigue.)
 MANIFESTATIONS
muscle cramping/damage
fasiculations
paralytic ileus
tetany
rhabdomyolysis
weakness (can lead to
paresis/paralysis)

 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
Hypokalemia is a potentially life-
threatening imbalance that may be
iatrogenically induced. Hypokalemia may
result from inadequate potassium
intake, increased potassium excretion,
or a shift of potassium from the
extracellular to the intracellular space.
Increased excretion is the most common
mechanism.
DIAGNOSTIC TESTS
SERUM POTASSIUM
TEST
EKG
KIDNEY FUNCTION
DETERMINATION.
URINE POTASSIUM,
SODIUM, AND
OSMOLALITY.

TREATMENTS
ORAL OR IV POTASSIUM

NURSING RESPONSIBILITIES

ENCOURAGE FREQUENT REST PERIODS;

ASSIST WITH DAILY ACTIVITIES, AS
INDICATED.
TEACH AND ASSIST THE CLIENT WITH
RANGE-OF-MOTION (ROM) EXERCISES, AS
TOLERATED.
ENCOURAGE INTAKE OF CARBOHYDRATES
AND FATS AND LOW POTASSIUM FOOD
SUCH AS PINEAPPLE, PLUMS,
STRAWBERRIES, CARROTS, CAULIFLOWER,
NSTRUCT THE CLIENT IN THE USE OF
POTASSIUM-CONTAINING SALTS OR SALT
SUBSTITUTES, AND TAKING POTASSIUM
SUPPLEMENTS SAFELY.CORN, AND WHOLE
GRAINS.
ADMINISTER MEDICATIONS, AS INDICATED: