All concepts, explanations, trials, and studies have been
re-written in plain English and may contain errors. I am
not a doctor
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Symptoms and Diagnosis Of Potassium Imbalance

Severe hypokalemia (blood potassium under 3 mEq/L) may
produce muscle weakness and lead to paralysis and
respiratory failure. Other muscular dysfunction includes
muscle cramping, twitching, loss of intestinal function,
too-light breathing, too-low blood pressure, or nervous
hyper-excitability.
	Persistent hypokalemia can impair kidney function,
producing heavy urination in a short period of time, with
extreme thirst. High blood pH (metabolic alkalosis) often
occurs.
	Heart-related effects of too-low potassium level
usually become strong when level drops under 3 mEq/L.
This may cause premature ventricular and atrial
contractions, ventricular and atrial tachy-arrhythmias,
and second or third degree heart block.
	Patients with prior existing heart disease or those
taking digoxin are at risk for arrhythmia even from fairly
mild hypokalemia.
	The characteristic EKG changes are ST segment
depression, increased U-wave amplitude, and T-wave
amplitude less than U-wave amplitude (in the same lead).
	Hypokalemia is diagnosed when blood potassium level
is less than 3.5 mEq/L.