Hypokalaemia is a common clinical problem. It can lead to severe disturbances in cardiac, neurological and muscle function. We present the case of a 45-year-old woman who was transported to our hospital with cardiac arrest following ventricular fibrillation. Blood sampling revealed severe acidosis (pH 7.02) and extreme hypokalaemia (0.9 mmol/l). The low serum potassium level was most likely cau...

Serum potassium concentrations obtained on admission to hospital were inversely related to the incidence of ventricular fibrillation in 289 women and 785 men with acute myocardial infarction, 92 of whom developed ventricular fibrillation. Hypokalaemia (serum potassium concentration less than or equal to 3.5 mmol/l) was found in 122 patients (11.4%). The incidence of ventricular fibrillation was...

lamotrigine is an antiepileptic drug used as a treatment for partial and generalised seizures as well as for bipolar disorder type i. till date, very few cases of lamotrigine overdose have been reported. the spectra of clinical effects of lamotrigine in acute overdose are not well established. in severe cases of poisoning, serious effects such as coma, respiratory depression, recurrent seizures...

This series of occasional articles provides an update on the best use of key diagnostic tests in the initial investigation of common or important clinical presentations. The series advisers are Steve Atkin, professor, head of department of academic endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism, Hull York Medical School; and Eric Kilpatrick, honorary professor, department of clinical biochemistry, Hul...

In daily practice hypokalaemia is frequently observed. It can be accompanied by various adverse events and can even be life threatening. Frequent causes are intestinal and urinary loss, i.e. diarrhoea or use of diuretics. Glycyrrhizin-containing substances, such as liquorice, are a well-known but rare cause of hypokalaemia. They can induce an apparent mineralocorticoid excess-like syndrome, oft...