Drug-induced electrolyte imbalance. Part 1. Drug-induced hypokalemia

O.D. Ostroumova, A.P. Pereversev, M.V. Klepikova

Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Moscow

The incidence of severe drug-induced hypokalemia in medical institutions is about 4.32–4.64 per 10,000 visits per year. Drug-induced hypokalemia is caused by many medications: diuretics, adrenoceptor agonists, drugs used for chemotherapy of malignant neoplasms, glucocorticosteroids, antibacterial drugs, etc. Polypragmasia, long-term use of certain medications and their use in high doses are also associated with an increased risk of drug-induced hypokalemia. Its clinical manifestations correspond to those of hypokalemia in general and include depression, paresthesia, lower limb muscle cramps, convulsions, hyporeflexia, muscle weakness, decreased myocardial contractile function, various heart rhythm disorders, nausea, vomiting, intestinal paresis, intestinal obstruction, muscle necrosis, etc. The most accurate and reliable method for diagnosing hypokalemia is to determine the potassium level in the blood serum. Potassium deficiency is also characterized by ECG changes. When the potassium level in the blood serum of 2.5–3.9 mmol/L, oral potassium supplementation is required during which the patient can be treated on an outpatient basis. When the potassium concentration in the blood serum <2.5 mmol/L, in-patient care is required — infusion therapy with subsequent switch to oral potassium su pplementation. The article presents the benefits of potassium and magnesium asparaginate in the treatment of hypokalemia, including drug-induced.

Keywords: adverse events, hypokalemia, drug-induced hypokalemia, potassium, potassium and magnesium asparaginate.

For citation: Ostroumova O.D., Pereversev A.P., Klepikova M.V. Drug-induced electrolyte imbalance. Part 1. Drug-induced hypokalemia.
RMJ. 2020;11:20–29.