Blood potassium link
PA Auckland New evidence has linked a low blood potassium level with irregular heart beats, which could prove fatal to a few people. About 600 doctors in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin took part, via closed circuit television, in a medical symposium on the subject. Among the speakers was Dr Trefor Morgan, senior
specialist in charge (medicine) at Repatriation General Hospital, Heidelberg West, Melbourne. Dr Morgan said irregular heart beats were particularly liable to occur if a person had a heart attack, as well as a law level of potassium in the blood. The main cause of a fall in blood potassium was the use of diuretic ’drugs for high blood pressure (diuretics in-
crease urine). It was important that doctors used a minimum amount of the diuretic drugs when treating hypertension and also adjusted the patient’s diet, reducing salt intake, and increasing potassium , intake. If the patient’s potassium level fell too much he could be given another type of diuretic which corrected the level. '
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Press, 19 April 1982, Page 24
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168Blood potassium link Press, 19 April 1982, Page 24
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