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.
what is hypokalemia?