Hypokalemia and Muscle Cells

The concept :

• less positively charged potassium ions on the outside of the cell
• potassium ions leave the cell to replace them
• causing the cell to become even more negatively charged
• the cells become hyperpolarised
• less likely to fire off action potentials
• excitable cells, neurones and muscle cells, affected

Thus, there will be

• Cardiac arrhythmias
• Skeletal muscle weakness
• Smooth muscle weakness (constipation and paralytic ileus etc)