Low Potassium (cont.)
IN THIS ARTICLE
- Low Potassium Overview
- Low Potassium Causes
- Low Potassium Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Low Potassium Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medical Treatment
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
- Prevention
- Outlook
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
- Viewer Comments: Low Potassium (Hypokalemia) - How Was Diagnosis Established
Low Potassium Causes
Low potassium can occur for many reasons. Use of water pills (diuretics), diarrhea, and chronic laxative abuse are the most common causes of low potassium.
Illness and other medications may also lower potassium levels. Other causes include:
Kidney losses
- Certain kidney disorders such as renal tubular
acidosis (for example,
chronic kidney failure and
acute kidney failure)
- Magnesium deficiency
- Leukemia
Loss of potassium through stomach and intestines
Effect of medicines
- Water pills (diuretics)
- Medicines used for asthma or emphysema
(beta-adrenergic agonist type of drugs such as bronchodilators, steroids, or
theophylline)
- Aminoglycosides (a type of antibiotic used for treating certain serious infections)
Shifting of potassium across cells can lower the concentration of potassium measured in the blood.
Decreased food intake or malnutrition
Next: Low Potassium Symptoms »
Viewer Comments & Reviews
Low Potassium (Hypokalemia) - How Was Diagnosis Established
How was the diagnosis of your low potassium (hypokalemia) established?
Important Safety Information
- KAPIDEX may not be right for everyone. You should not take KAPIDEX if you are allergic to KAPIDEX or any of its ingredients. Severe allergic reactions have been reported.
- Symptom relief does not rule out other serious stomach conditions.
- The most common side effects of KAPIDEX were diarrhea (4.8%), stomach pain (4.0%), nausea (2.9%), common cold (1.9%), vomiting (1.6%), and gas (1.6%). KAPIDEX and certain other medicines can affect each other. Before taking KAPIDEX, tell your doctor if you are taking ampicillin, atazanavir, digoxin, iron, ketoconazole, or tacrolimus. If you are taking KAPIDEX with warfarin, you may need to be monitored because serious risks could occur.
Uses of KAPIDEX
- Persistent heartburn two or more days a week, despite treatment and diet changes, could be acid reflux disease (ARD). Prescription KAPIDEX capsules are used in adults to treat heartburn related to ARD, to heal acid-related damage to the lining of the esophagus (called erosive esophagitis or EE), and to stop EE from coming back. Individual results may vary. Most damage (erosions) heals in 4–8 weeks.
Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional. Please see full Prescribing Information for KAPIDEX.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
KAPIDEX™ is a trademark of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc., and is used under license by Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
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Hypokalemia »
Potassium, the most abundant intracellular cation, is essential for the life of the organism.
