Hypokalemia in Severe Diarrhea

Q: What are the two mechanisms causing hypokalemia in severe diarrhea?


Answer:  The objective of the above question is to describe a less known reason of hypokalemia in severe diarrhea. Besides the loss of potassium in the diarrheal fluid, hypovolemia-induced secondary hyperaldosteronism also contributes to hypokalemia by increasing colonic potassium secretion.

#electrolytes
#Gastroenterology
#endocrinology



Reference:


Corry DB, Tuck ML. Secondary aldosteronism.Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1995 Sep;24(3):511-29.