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Hypokalemia occurs when the potassium levels in your blood are too low. Very low potassium levels can cause problems with your heart, kidneys, and muscles. Although hypokalemia is rare in healthy people, it can be caused by illness, medications, or kidney problems.
The experts at UPMC can help you find the cause of your low potassium levels, develop a treatment plan, and monitor your condition over time if needed.
Potassium is an electrolyte, or mineral, that you get from food. It helps your body function properly. Your kidneys help to regulate the amount of potassium in your blood.
Hypokalemia occurs when the potassium levels in your blood are too low. Very low potassium levels can cause problems with your heart, kidneys, and muscles.
There are three severity types of hypokalemia based on the potassium levels in your blood. The normal range for potassium levels in an adult is 3.5-5.2 mEq/L.
Types of hypokalemia include:
Hypokalemia can be caused by illness, medications, or kidney problems.
Common causes include:
You may be at a higher risk for hypokalemia if you:
Mild cases of hypokalemia usually do not cause serious complications.
However, if your potassium levels are very low and are left untreated, you may experience:
Hypokalemia isn’t always preventable. However, taking medications exactly as prescribed, avoiding excessive sweating, and eating a healthy diet that includes potassium-rich fruits and vegetables may help.
Potassium-rich foods include:
Severe hypokalemia is rare in healthy people. However, it can occur in people who have had a severe illness, sweat excessively, are hospitalized, or who take medications for kidney disease.
Mild cases are sometimes found during routine blood testing.
Mild cases of hypokalemia may not cause noticeable symptoms.
More severe cases may cause:
If you have low potassium, you may feel weak, tired, or have muscle cramps. You may also experience lightheadedness, numbness, or urinate more than usual.
If you have symptoms of hypokalemia, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. If you have severe symptoms — such as heart palpitations or fainting — go to your nearest hospital emergency department.
Hypokalemia is usually diagnosed with a blood test to check your potassium level.
During your visit, your doctor will:
Your doctor will order a blood test to check your potassium level. Because other hormones and minerals can affect your potassium level, your doctor may also order other blood tests to check your levels of:
Your doctor may order a test called an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) to check for abnormal heart rhythms. An EKG is a simple and fast outpatient diagnostic procedure used to evaluate your heart's electrical system.
With medical treatment and ongoing monitoring, most people can recover from or manage hypokalemia. If your hypokalemia is mild and caused by a temporary health issue, you may only need treatment for a few days or weeks. If your hypokalemia is severe and due to a chronic condition, such as kidney disease or long-term medication use, you may need ongoing treatment.
Most cases of hypokalemia need to be treated by a doctor. Adding more potassium to your diet is usually not enough to treat hypokalemia.
Although over-the-counter potassium supplements are available, self-treatment can be dangerous due to the potential for overdose.
Your doctor may recommend:
Although increasing potassium levels in your diet is usually insufficient to treat hypokalemia after it develops, it may help prevent future recurrences. Your doctor or a registered dietitian can recommend potassium-rich foods to raise your potassium levels safely.
If your doctor suspects that your diuretic medication caused you to develop hypokalemia, you may be switched to a different type of diuretic. “Potassium-sparing” diuretics may reduce the risk of hypokalemia.
Mild hypokalemia is usually treated with oral potassium supplements. Your doctor will let you know how and when to take potassium supplements safely and will monitor your potassium levels to ensure they are within the recommended range.
If you have severe hypokalemia, you may need to get intravenous potassium. You may need to stay in the hospital while you receive IV potassium therapy so your doctor can monitor your levels and reduce the risk of related complications.
When you choose UPMC for hypokalemia care, you will receive:
By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2025-04-24 by Faizan Syed, MD.
