×
MedSchool: Ace Your OSCEsThe Medical Company
 
 
 
 
 
GET - On the App Store
View
ECG Disease Patterns
 
ECG Disease Patterns
 

Hypokalaemia on ECG

February 15th, 2021
 
 
 
Bookmark

Overview

Potassium is important in maintaining membrane potentials, particularly in cardiac myocytes. 
Hypokalaemia, or a reduced serum potassium concentration of <3.5mmol/L, is associated with hyperpolarisation of cardiac myocytes. If severe, hypokalaemia causes abnormal ventricular automaticity which may result in ventricular arrhythmias.
  • Severity of Hypokalaemia

  • Mild - 3.0 - 3.5 mmol/L
  • Moderate - 2.5 - 3.0 mmol/L
  • Severe - <2.5 mmol/L
ECG changes are not typically seen until the potassium concentration is <3.0.
  •  
  • ECG Findings in Hypokalaemia

  • Moderate to Severe

  • PR prolongation
  • ST depression
  • T wave flattening or inversion
  • Prominent U wave (resulting in an apparent prolonged QT interval)
  • Life-Threatening

  • Torsade de pointes
  • Ventricular tachycardia
  • Ventricular fibrillation
Next Page
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Want more info like this?
  • Your electronic clinical medicine handbook
  • Guides to help pass your exams
  • Tools every medical student needs
  • Quick diagrams to have the answers, fast
  • Quizzes to test your knowledge
Sign Up Now
   
 
 

Snapshot: Initialising...