What are the symptoms of Hypokalemic periodic paralysis ?
What are the signs and symptoms of Hypokalemic periodic paralysis? Hypokalemic periodic paralysis involves attacks of muscle weakness or loss of muscle movement (paralysis) that come and go. The weakness or paralysis is most commonly located in the shoulders and hips, affecting the muscles of the arms and legs. Muscles of the eyes and those that help you breathe and swallow may also be affected. There is normal muscle strength between attacks.  Attacks usually begin in adolescence, but they can occur before age 10. How often the attacks occur varies. Some people have attacks every day, while others have them once a year. Episodes of muscle weakness usually last between a few hours and a day. Attacks can occur without warning or can be triggered by factors such as rest after exercise, a viral illness, or certain medications. Often, a large, carbohydrate-rich meal, alcohol, or vigorous exercise in the evening can trigger an attack upon waking the following morning. Although affected individuals usually regain their muscle strength between attacks, repeated episodes can lead to persistent muscle weakness later in life. People with hypokalemic periodic paralysis have reduced levels of potassium in their blood (hypokalemia) during episodes of muscle weakness. Researchers are investigating how low potassium levels may be related to the muscle abnormalities in this condition. The Human Phenotype Ontology provides the following list of signs and symptoms for Hypokalemic periodic paralysis. If the information is available, the table below includes how often the symptom is seen in people with this condition. You can use the MedlinePlus Medical Dictionary to look up the definitions for these medical terms. Signs and Symptoms Approximate number of patients (when available) Myopathy 7.5% Autosomal dominant inheritance - Episodic flaccid weakness - Hypokalemia - Incomplete penetrance - Periodic hyperkalemic paralysis - The Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) has collected information on how often a sign or symptom occurs in a condition. Much of this information comes from Orphanet, a European rare disease database. The frequency of a sign or symptom is usually listed as a rough estimate of the percentage of patients who have that feature. The frequency may also be listed as a fraction. The first number of the fraction is how many people had the symptom, and the second number is the total number of people who were examined in one study. For example, a frequency of 25/25 means that in a study of 25 people all patients were found to have that symptom. Because these frequencies are based on a specific study, the fractions may be different if another group of patients are examined. Sometimes, no information on frequency is available. In these cases, the sign or symptom may be rare or common.