Overview of Hypokalemia Hypokalemia is defined as a plasma K+ concentration lower than 3.5 mEq/L.1Hoskote SS, Joshi SR, Ghosh AK. Disorders of Potassium Homeostasis: Pathophysiology and Management. JAPI 2008; 56: 685–693. It occurs in up to 21% of hospitalised patients and 2% to 3% of outpatients.2Viera AJ, Wouk N. Potassium Disorders: Hypokalemia and Hyperkalemia. American Family Physician 2015; 92(6):487–495. Diuretic therapy is the most common cause of potassium deficiency. Although the extent of potassium deficiency usually does not exceed 200 or 300 mEq, under appropriate circumstances such modest deficiency may have important consequences. Factors that tend to increase the incidence or severity of potassium deficiency in patients who take diuretics include high salt diets, large urine volumes, metabolic alkalosis, increased aldosterone production, and the simultaneous use of two diuretics that act on different sites in the renal tubule.3Knochel JP. Diuretic-induced hypokalemia. Am J Med. 1984; 77(5A):18–27. Hypokalemia results in hyperpolarisation…
Urinary tract infection and kidney transplant UTI, especially recurrent UTI, is a common problem in recipients after kidney transplantation (KTX). Acute UTI not only affects a patient’s well-being but also gives rise to several issues that must be addressed in a transplant recipient. These include interaction of antibiotic medication with immunosuppression, the isolation of and infection with resistant bacteria, growth of Candida spp. due to antibiotic treatment, and finally recurrent UTI. Most importantly, urosepsis with impairment of graft function are potential long-term sequelae of recurrent UTI in KTX recipients.1Giessing M. Urinary tract infection in renal transplantation. Arab Journal of Urology 2012; 10:162–168. UTIs after kidney transplantation have important implications. They may be associated with bacteremia and may require hospitalization. The recurrent nature of the problem necessitates the use of multiple courses of antibiotic therapy, which are not only costly but can result in bacterial resistance and contribute to erratic levels…
