Potassium

Potassium is one of major minerals that very important to human physiologic function.
Potassium role in our body:
- Intracellular major cation
- Cell membrane repolarization
- Neuroautonomic
- Neuromuscular excitability
- Protein metabolism
- Growth hormone releasinh
- pH intacellulare

Potassium equilibrium: 70 kg man -->3500mEq potassium
Intake: 50-100mg (average American)
Output: 50-100mg via sweat, urine, faeces. (from urine 30mEq/L/urine; urine ouput 0.5cc/kgBB/daily)
Hipokalemi
- potassium level in blood <3.5 mEq/L
- clinical manifestation: muscular weakness, unreactive to stimulus, abdominal distention, paralitic ileus, postural hipotension, cardiac disturbance, insulin secretion abnormality
Causes:
- low intake potassium dietary (rarely)
- increasing potassium excretion through kidney or faeces, eg: regular use of certain drugs (strong laxative, diuretics, steroids)
- conditions such as diabetic acidosis, dehydrations, prolonged vomiting, or diarrhea
How to treat hipokalemia
- potassium correction deficit via potassium infusion, dangerous to be given without doctor supervision, if too quickly could make cardiac arrest
- KSR (kalium slow release) tablet, usually given 1 tablet orally daily
- Increasing potassium rich dietary, eg: all fresh food especially fruits and vegetables
Hiperkalemia
- Symptoms: muscular weakness, vomiting , cardiac arrest (if given bolus intraveinaly)
- Causes: doesnt result from overeating foods high in potassium, usually result from overconsumption of potassium salts or supplements and from certain disease or treatments


Potassium in selected foods
Adequate intake: adults 4700 mg/day
- Potato (1 medium baked w/skin , 133 kcal) = 500mg
- Tomato juice (3/4 cup, 31 kcal) = 400mg
- Banana (1 medium raw, 109 kcal) = 450mg
- Squash, acorn (1/2 cup baked, 69 kcal)= 500mg
- Soybeans (1/2 cup cooked, 149 kcal)= 450mg
- Artichoke (1 servings, 60kcal) = 425 mg
- Milk (1 cup reduced fat 2%, 121 kcal)= 375 mg
Reference:
1. Pedoman cairan infus edisi revisi VIII 2003, pt.otsuka indonesia
2. Understanding nutrition 10th ed, thomson wadsworth