Tag: Potassium repletion

An estimated 98% of the body's total potassium is stored inside cells, meaning serum potassium levels can be a poor indicator of true total body stores. Understanding how to calculate potassium deficit is therefore an essential clinical skill that requires considering more than just a blood test.

Studies show that a significant portion of patients with low potassium also have low magnesium. Addressing low potassium (hypokalemia) in a medical setting often requires a specific order of electrolyte replacement, and that's why magnesium is given first before potassium. This is because magnesium plays a critical, permissive role in the body's ability to retain and utilize potassium at a cellular level.