We describe severe hypokalaemia and hypertension due to a mineralocorticoid effect in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome taking posaconazole as antifungal prophylaxis. Two distinct mechanisms due to posaconazole are identified: inhibition of 11β hydroxylase leading to the accumulation of the mineralocorticoid hormone 11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC) and secondly, inhibition of 11β hydroxystero...

A case of deliberate overdose of barium sulphide in a psychiatric setting is presented, with resulting flaccid paralysis, malignant arrhythmia, respiratory arrest and severe hypokalaemia, but ultimately with complete recovery. The degree of paralysis appears to be related directly to serum barium levels. The value of early haemodialysis, particularly with respiratory paralysis and hypokalaemia,...

Hypokalaemia in hypertensive patients is a 'red flag' bringing to mind various classic secondary and genetic causes related to both hypokalaemia and hypertension. We encountered a patient who had an unusual cause for his disturbance that, to our knowledge, has not been described in hypertensive patients.

Hypokalaemia is a common clinical disorder, the cause of which can usually be determined by the patient's clinical history. Gitelman syndrome is an inherited tubulopathy that must be considered in some settings of hypokalaemia. We present the case of a 60-year-old male patient referred to our nephrology department for persistent hypokalaemia. Clinical history was positive for symptoms of orthos...

The clinical features of severe hypokalaemia include constipation, ileus, ventricular and atrial tachycardias, weakness, hypotonicity and rarely an ascending motor paralysis with ventilatory failure. We describe a patient who presented with severe diarrhoea, hypokalaemic normal anion gap metabolic acidosis and hypophosphataemia. He developed stridor and respiratory failure following early corre...