Hypokalaemia Hypokalaemia is one of the most commonly encountered fluid and electrolyte abnormalities in clinical medicine. It can be an asymptomatic finding, identified only on routine electrolyte screening, or it can be associated with symptoms ranging from mild weakness to sudden death.1Weiner D, Wingo CS. Hypokalemia-Consequences, Causes, and Correction. J Am SocNephrol. 1997; 8(7):1179-88. Hypokalaemia is defined as a serum potassium concentration of less than 3.5 mEq/L. Hypokalaemia is categorised as mild (serum potassium, greater than 3 to 3.5 mEq/L), moderate (serum potassium, 2.5 to 3 mEq/L), or severe (serum potassium, less than 2.5 mEq/L).The signs and symptoms of hypokalaemia are described in Table 1.2Veltri KT, Mason C. Medication-Induced Hypokalemia. Pharmacovigilance Forum. 2015; 40(3):185-190. Hypokalaemia results either when there is a total body potassium deficit, or when serum potassium is shifted into the intracellular compartment. Hypomagnesemia, which is present in more than 50% of cases of clinically significant…
Overview Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common condition seen both in hospital and the community setting. They are predominantly caused by Gram-negative bacilli (70%), and Escherichia coli is the most common pathogen. Certain conditions associated with a higher risk of UTIs are shown in Table 1.1Tandogdu Z, et al. Urinary Tract Infections in Immunocompromised Patients with Diabetes, Chronic Kidney Disease, and Kidney Transplant. European Urology Focus. 2016;2:394-399. These conditions may deteriorate the host defensive mechanism or allow a bypass route for pathogens in the urinary tract.1Tandogdu Z, et al. Urinary Tract Infections in Immunocompromised Patients with Diabetes, Chronic Kidney Disease, and Kidney Transplant. European Urology Focus. 2016;2:394-399. The most common acquired conditions causing deterioration in host defence mechanisms are:1Tandogdu Z, et al. Urinary Tract Infections in Immunocompromised Patients with Diabetes, Chronic Kidney Disease, and Kidney Transplant. European Urology Focus. 2016;2:394-399. Diabetes mellitus (DM) Chronic kidney diseases (CKDs)…
