Discharge Instructions for Hypokalemia

You have been diagnosed with hypokalemia. This means you have a low level of potassium in your blood. Potassium helps your nerve and muscle cells work as they should. These cells include the cells in your heart. A low level of potassium in the blood can cause serious problems, such as abnormal heart rhythms and even a heart attack.

Eat more potassium-rich foods, such as:

• Bananas.
• Oranges and orange juice.
• Tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato juice.
• Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, kale, salad greens, collards, and chard.
• Melons (all kinds).
• Pomegranates.
• Peas.
• Beans.
• Potatoes.
• Sweet potatoes.
• Avocados, including guacamole.
• Vegetable juices, such as V8.
• Fruit juices.
• All nuts and seeds.
• Fish, including tuna, halibut, salmon, cod, snapper, haddock, swordfish, and perch.
• Milk, including fat-free, low-fat, whole, chocolate, and buttermilk.
• Soy milk.

• Take a potassium supplement as directed by your doctor.
• After heavy exercise or any activity that causes you to sweat a lot, grab a beverage high in potassium. This includes chocolate milk, coconut water, orange juice, or low-sodium vegetable juices.
• If you are vomiting or have diarrhea, be sure to drink fluids or eat foods that contain potassium.
• Have your potassium levels checked regularly as directed.
• Take all medicines exactly as directed.
• Tell your doctor about all the prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines you are taking. This includes herbal products. Some water pills (diuretics) can cause you to lose potassium.
• Don't have foods that are high in salt. Don't choose canned and prepared foods that are high in salt.

• Make a follow-up appointment, as directed by your doctor.
• Keep all follow-up appointments. Your doctor needs to watch your condition closely.

Call 911 if you have:

• Rapid, irregular heartbeat.
• Shortness of breath.
• Chest pain.
• Muscle cramps, spasms, or twitching.
• Paralysis.

Contact your doctor right away if you have:

• Vomiting.
• Fatigue.
• Diarrhea.
• Weakness.