1. Excessive excretion of potassium and potassium loss through the gastrointestinal tract. This is the most important cause of potassium loss in children. It is common in patients with severe diarrhea and vomiting accompanied by a large amount of digestive juice loss. On the one hand, the absorption of potassium in the small intestine is reduced due to diarrhea; on the other hand, the reduction in blood volume caused by diarrhea can increase aldosterone secretion, and aldosterone can not only increase urinary potassium excretion.

2. Potassium loss through kidney, which is the most important reason for potassium loss in adults. Common factors that cause increased renal potassium excretion include: long-term continuous use or excessive dosage of diuretics, for example, diuretics that inhibit proximal tubule sodium and water reabsorption, and inhibit Cl- and Na+ reabsorption in the thick ascending branch of the medullary loop. Diuretics (furosemide, diuretic acid, thiazides, etc.) can increase the flow of raw urine to the distal renal tubule.

3. In some kidney diseases, such as distal renal tubular acidosis, due to the dysfunction of hydrogen secretion in the distal convoluted tubule, H+-Na+ exchange is reduced and K+-Na+ exchange is increased, resulting in potassium loss. In proximal renal tubular acidosis, the reabsorption of HCO3- in the proximal convoluted tubule is reduced, and the increase in HCO3- reaching the distal convoluted tubule is an important reason for increasing the potassium excretion of the distal convoluted tubule, so increased potassium excretion may occur.

4. When there is too much adrenal cortical hormone and the primary and secondary aldosterone increases, the Na+-K+ exchange between the renal distal convoluted tubule and the collecting duct increases, thus playing the role of excreting potassium and retaining sodium. In Cushing syndrome, the secretion of the glucocorticoid cortisol increases significantly.

5. Magnesium deficiency often causes hypokalemia. Potassium reabsorption in the ascending limb of the medullary loop depends on the Na+-K+-ATR enzyme in the renal tubular epithelial cells, and this enzyme requires Mg2+. activation. When magnesium is deficient, this enzyme may be inactivated due to the lack of intracellular Mg2+, resulting in potassium reabsorption disorders and potassium loss. Animal experiments have also proven that magnesium deficiency can also cause an increase in aldosterone, which may also be the cause of potassium loss.

6. Alkalosis. During alkalosis, the excretion of H+ by renal tubular epithelial cells decreases, so H+-Na+ exchange is strengthened, so potassium excretion in urine increases.

7. Potassium is lost through the skin, and the potassium content in sweat is only 9mmol/L. Under normal circumstances, sweating does not cause hypokalemia. However, heavy sweating can also lead to loss of potassium when performing heavy physical work in a high-temperature environment.

8. When extracellular potassium is transferred into cells, hypokalemia may occur.

/iknow-pic.cdn.bcebos.com/a08b87d6277f9e2fd64610af1130e924b899f322"target="_blank"title=""class="ikqb_img_alink">/iknow-pic.cdn.bcebos.com/a08b87d6277f9e2fd646 10af1130e924b899f322?x- bce-process=image%2Fresize%2Cm_lfit%2Cw_600%2Ch_800%2Climit_1%2Fquality%2Cq_85%2Fformat%2Cf_auto"esrc="/n1/2016/0316/c21471-28203055.html"target="_blank"title="People's Daily Online -Severe potassium deficiency harms a large diet, how to supplement potassium">People's Daily Online-Severe potassium deficiency harms a large diet, how to supplement potassium