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Low Potassium

Low Potassium Overview

Potassium is a mineral (electrolyte) in the body. Almost 98% of potassium is found inside the cells. Small changes in the level of potassium that is present outside the cells can have severe effects on the heart, nerves, and muscles.

Potassium is important to maintain several bodily functions:

The kidney is the main organ that controls the balance of potassium. It removes excess potassium into the urine.

When potassium levels are low (hypokalemia), you can become weak as cellular processes are impaired.

  • The normal potassium level is 3.5-5.0 mEq/L (this is a measure used to evaluate the level). Low potassium is defined as a potassium level below 3.5 mEq/L.
  • Almost one out of five people hospitalized in the United States has a low potassium level. Up to 14% of people otherwise seen in doctors' offices have slightly low potassium levels.


Next: Low Potassium Causes »

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Low Potassium (Hypokalemia) - How Was Diagnosis Established

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How was the diagnosis of your low potassium (hypokalemia) established?

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Low Potassium

Chronic Kidney Disease Overview

Normal Kidneys and Their Function

The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs that lie on either side of the spine in the lower middle of the back. Each kidney weighs about ΒΌ pound and contains approximately one million filtering units called nephrons. Each nephron is made of a glomerulus and a tubule. The glomerulus is a miniature filtering or sieving device while the tubule is a tiny tube like structure attached to the glomerulus.

The kidneys are connected to the urinary bladder by tubes called ureters. Urine is stored in the urinary bladder until the bladder is emptied by urinating. The bladder is connected to the outside of the body by another tube like structure called the urethra.

The main function of the kidneys is to remove waste products and excess water from the blood. The kidneys process about 200 liters of blood every day and produce about two liters of urine. The waste products ar...

Read the Chronic Kidney Disease article »



Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine

Hypokalemia »

Potassium, the most abundant intracellular cation, is essential for the life of the organism.

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