what is hypokalemia?
hypokalemia is a medical term for low potassium levels in the blood. potassium is a mineral required by the body – especially the heart – to function properly. potassium levels are measured by a simple blood test. low potassium levels can be caused by many things including: • use of diuretics (a "water pill") • severe or prolonged diarrhea • use of certain antibiotics (such as penicillin) • excessive vomiting • an eating disorder such as bulimia • hyperthyroidism (very high levels of thyroid hormone caused by an overactive thyroid gland) a small drop in potassium levels usually isn't cause for concern and may not even cause you to experience any symptoms. a larger drop in potassium levels can cause the following symptoms: • constipation • fatigue • abnormal heart rhythm (often experienced as palpitations) • muscle spasms (such as cramps in your calf muscles) if you have low potassium levels your healthcare provider may prescribe a potassium supplement to fix the problem. if your hypokalemia is caused by hyperthyroidism your provider may treat the thyroid problem in order to get your potassium levels back to normal.